Tuesd~), Ma~b 18. 1986
Volume 40, Number 1011?
Hearing put off as Schuler seeks counsel in case The Faculty Personnel Policy Committee postponed a hearing Monday to hear Nils Rosdahl's grievance against Presidenl Barry Schuler. Schuler was granted a two-wetle delay for his 1csrimony while he seeks out· 1ide legal counsel, and Rosdahl then asked 1ha1 his testimony i.n 1he hearing~ postponed also. The hearing "'ill resume April I. Rosdahl fi led his grievance in a March 6 lcucr 10 1hc Commiuce. accusing Schuler of violating his Fi rst Amendment rights. He said, "Because I did not con11ol 1he Sentinel and (editor} Dan Breeden," Schuler would not renew his contrac1 for 1986·87. Schule:r's secretary Pauline Irvine confirmed that
"My phone has rung off the hook. They've all been congratulatory, urging me to
keep up the fight ... "
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Pylon python
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A BM\\ sna.l.n It~ '!'I) through a ,p)lon-Uned roa™' Marth 15 to win t.bt opta-dus dhbloa In the fll'\I or 1hrtt ASN IC-5ponsortd spring au:o crosses. Two mort ,sen art sbltd for Aprtl 12 and M t .) 10. for mort lnfol"IIUltlon and nilr) rorau , C'ODlllel On.a ~nne11 lo the SLB 111mtroom.
Schuler sought the delay 10 obtain o utside legal counsel and 1ha1 he c.~pcc1ed 10 testify between March 31 and April I. When asked about 1he delay, Rosdahl expressed concern. "Th:11 disappoints mc-Schuh:.r having an extra I\\O weeks-for two reasons," he said. "Firsl, because this is not a criminal or civil hearing, I don 't think an attorney should ~ involved." "He can afford one; I can't," he continued. "I CCT· ta.inly hope that Schuler is paying for this outside la"'yer and not 1he college-if not, I 'II file a second gric-. ancc " Rosdahl also was concerned that, aflcr he rRosdahlJ v.ould ba~e teuified Monday, Schuler would ha,e 1wo "'eds in "'htch 10 prepare his case. Although the commrttce hcannas are closed and confidential. Rosdahl (Ke " "Ills" on page 2)
Ma.rcb JI. 1986 'oJC SentitxJ-2-
Nils(continued from page 1) fears that, during a 1wo,wed, span, information leaks arc possible. Rosdahl said th111 he approached rv.o local auorncys to obtam legal guidance. Both did not want to be associated with the case because they reared reprisal by Schuler or his supporters against their family and business interests with NIC. a1Xording 10 Rosdahl. Waves of verbal support for Rosdahl have poured in since the story fim appeared m the Sentinel and local press. "My phone has rung off the hook,'' Rosdahl said. "They've all been congratulatory. urging me 10 keep up the fight, and I've encouraged them 10 write leuers 10 newspaper editors and members of the NIC Board of Trustees." " I was bothered 10 learn that many of these callers did not want to be publically identified with my case because they also feared reprisal for speaking up," he said. Comminee chair George Ives declined to comment on anything concerning the hearing, including its schedule. He did say that the commincc decided internally to not make any statements un til the matter was concluded.
Bu Ck stops here
NIC Constitution nears completion b) '1ar,
Coach of the Year goes to John Owen NIC wrestling coach John Owen was awarded the Coach of the Year honors at the 24th rumual Idaho Spons Banquet in Moscow. Saturday. The award caps off a very impressive season for Owen. who rook one entrant in each weight class 10 the national tournament in Illinois in late February. They proceeded 10 win the championship, scoring the second highest point total in the histOr)' of the tournament. Owen. who has been with JC for 11 years, has turned a relatively unknown program into a perennial national power. To his credit this scoson was the na· uonal Litle, seven AII-AmeriCllflS and four national champions.
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Chan~o to the comutution for the Faculty AsKmbly and the Collqt Senate may be ncanna completion ~era! changes ,.ere made 11 a March 14 meeung LO ea::ommocbte obJCC:UOtJS to the proposed COBSlltuoon, :acconling to Dmrus Connors. director of planlllllg. He felt the dwises v.ill make the documcn1 a:ccepable to both the fACUlt~ and the Board of T nJS1£r$.. He v,.ilJ tncct apin ,.;_th rq,rcscnt:amcs from t ~ boc:hcs during spnng brQk "for ont more reading" of the propcu.l, be said. The pfoposal v.ill then be typed, shov.1ng the change side by side with the older document, Connors said At that ume it v.iU be distributed to each faculty member for coll.Sldcrauon prior 10 a Faculcy Assetnbl) •'OLC. "I 'm very pleased 11,ilb the progress made II the la.st meeting.·• Sherry ~ell, Farulry Asscmbl) Execuu,e Commince rcprescntau, e, said. "We discussed issues of cooa:ro "'Ith the Board ofTrustees' Personnel Policies Commmec." she said "In most C85eS v.e "'ere abk to reach a comproDl.lSC or altcrnau,-es acccpt.able to all parties." · Bos"'cll s.aid she wa.s "heanetlcd and plca.scd aJ the tenor of the meeting" and she hopes the doclllll(nt v.ill be assented
to at the Faculty Assembly meeting in early April The conmrution "'ould then be sent 10 the Board of Tru.,1t0 for ratification. Connor, said. Tnistec Roben El). a mrmbcr of the Pruonnd f>olicle\ Comm1nec in attendance at the March 14 mectin1, de<!lined 10 elaborate on how he felt llbout the proposal as it now \tands. " Whcn l sec the final draft, I'll comment, " he said. The constitution cmbochcs the ,1andards llnd rules undrr "'hich the adm1n1ma1ion and facull~ duchargc their rcspans1b1liues, 11ccording to thc current con.nitu tion'i preamble. ObJect1ons 10 the earlier propasal s«m 10 be centered around absolute po"'crbcmg vested in the 14'mcmbcr College Senarc. Connon Jllld conces5ions were made In that 11rea. ''The Faculty Aucmbly ha, certainly pined a ceru1ln 11mount or control over its own dc11Jny." Connors said. Responsibility for amcndlna the corutituuon will be vested with t.!l(U
body
The number of student senators was returned from two to three, he said. As for the spcafic duties or the senate, Connors said they rcm11Jn unchanged for 1he most part. "The: only people who have power arc the lrustccs," he w d. · 'The SClllltc only has power to recommend."
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Lady hoopsters fall at national tourney The , IC women·s basketball team finished its season with Monday's 7S-68 first-round NJCAA National Tournament loss 10 North Dakota's Lal.:c Region. The loss put the Cards· season record at 23-4. Lake Region came into the tournament with a 28·3 record, n 6-fooi-5-inch All-American center and an AllAmerican honorable mention forv,nrd. The Cards closed the gap to one point in the closing minutes, but forced fouls gave Lake Region the opportunit)· 10 sink some free throws and up the margin.
Family ties A local family enjoys a few pJeasArablt moments oa lbc NIC badl. Despite lbe fact that winter will be aroond ro, a sbon •bile Joaarr, Ille comm.u.alty bas btta subject to spring-like temperwtures for the past ftw weeks.
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First Amendment and NIC Scnous consti1u1ional lSSIICS b.a>< arisen on the NIC campus, which Ill times ha,c divided adaunut1'310fS, faculry and RUdfflts, h is time to cuminc, in a dispauionatc ligh1, the lcpJ conc:cptS elllbodicd in 1hesc import&DI issues. At the root of 1hcsc d=nions is the Fini Amcndmfflt to the U.S. Constitution, .,.b,ch sutes: Congress sba.11 ~kc DO law ...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the risbl of lhc people lO peaceably a.ucmble, and to petition the govcmmcnt for a redress of grievances (Dec. IS, 1791). TbOK" NIC conecmcd abou1 1hcsc issues shouid fOCUJ on thu amendment, on the cooslilotional ideal embodied in this amendment and upoo the spc,c:ific fmplicatioru il his for education 11 NIC. One of 1he primary questioru one mu.s: ulc is: What dcscnption precisely constitutes a com· posi1e picture of an ida.lly educated pcnon fully meeting the ideal cnvislO!led by the rtnl Anlcndrncn1? Examining the f"tnl Amendment, one can reach the conclusion tba1 it prescribes OW such a pctJOn should be a fru and llun.lcing pcnon MlOWlllg rcspca for careful argurocn1 and critical analysis of fact and value. This condUSton and its 1mplicauon for admirustrat0rs, facully and 11udcnts should be dlsc:usscd. M alllillraton at NIC nc:cd 10 ask what arc the constl1u1iooaJ lnniWions tha1 restrain their power 10 mold an ind,v,dual's thinking in whatever ways Ibey bc!,cve desirable. The Suprmie Coun answncd 1lus question in the wdl-known casc of Wert Vi,i,n., a Stat~ Board of EduOJt/o,r v.r. Bamdt. This case be.Id th~ a statc-rcqu,rcd compulsory flag salute 1"U unconstitutional. The Coun said 1ha1 "Officials may foster nauonal unuy by persuasion and c:u.mplc," but nOI by compulsory lndoctnnation." The on to say 1hat ,r "There u any foced star lo 001 constilutiooal con,1ellation, i1 is tha1 no offic:ial, lugh or pctry, can prcsc:n'"bc wha1 sbaD be onhod~ In politics, nalionalism, religion or other maucrs or opuuoo or for ouuru 10 confcu by word or aci !heir failh thcmn." Adminis1n1on woold do wdJ io read and ponder lhesc 1hou1hu. FIIClllty al NIC woald do well 10 read the case or KeyuJuaA vs.. Board of R~mzs. In this cue, 1hc Suprcrne Coun invalidated a New York St.Ille loyalty oath rcqutrCJDCD1 for teachers. JUSllce Brennan, af1cr discussing the UJIOOnstJIUlional vaguc:ncs.s or th& oath m tmJU not pc,aili.uly applicable 10 tcac:hcn, added 1he following: Our " at/on /J dttply ,;omm llltd to sq/tguordlng D<:adtmic/rtttlom, wludi IS of tro,u,«"'kd
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valu, to all ofuJ and not mtrt'ly to tM tuwrs con«rnttl. That frttdom ,s 1/tuefore a .rp«,a/ which dtNS not toln-att laWJ that cost a pall or onhodoxy owr tht classroom .... The clOMroom Is pttultorfy tht "marlcttploa of lde,:s." TM natwn 's / uturt dr~"'b upo" ltadt~ tromed 1/Jrough widt uposurt to tlu11 robusr adiangt of 1dtDS which discovm rrurh "out of a mulllludt of tongu,s" /rothtr/ than through an1 kind of 11Ulhorl1a1iv11 Rl«r/on. II woald ltt1D thal tbe facahy's rok 11 NJC IS to examine data a.nd values ,n a way tbal
co"ctrn of tlit Fir61 Ammdme"'·
Involves lhe 11uden1 and facuhy member u 1e11vc parocipants m the 5ear,:h for wth One would hope 1h11 facuhy II NIC would eumlne 1hc Fim Ammdmcn1 and r.bc ideal t11visioned by this 1mcndmcn1. The 11udcn1 al NIC should v,rw wnh a jaundi~ eye those pcrsoru "'ho, abo,·c all~. regard education u o means of 1ns1illios and prOl)lpling Cffl.lln proper and omoally approved or 1olcr11cd 1dcu, belief\ and valuc:s Studmu should t«k out !hose pcnonncl • ho, above all ebc, regard educauon u a mcanJ of produc,og a penon ,.illl I dacplincd and cnllcal mind havlna the po"'cr or lndcpcndcn1 Judgme:ru l.lld eapeblc or cbOOSlll& bis or her own idcti, bcllcr, and values. There Is h11le reason 10 cqWlle an "oi,cn mind" ..,,th 10 "cmp(} mmd." l'rccdom II NI C imphC!) a trust m the Individual These Uld;-,duaJs-,.bcthcr !he) arc ill!· deni facuhy 01 1dmini11ra1or-are c~pcc1ed 10 llun~ for tbcmscJ\~ and 10 dra• lhor o-~ conclu11on1. Thrre I• 10 be no «n,or of reci, al NIC , and 1hr founchng rathcn plaad llloz 1rus1 m 1hc ordinar)' pcr,on . l"he) rcJtelcd fo rC\cr lbc cstabllilirncnl of an, aulbonl} o,cr a person\ mind or conscience A pcr&On's coMtlluuonal freedom 10 bcl1C\e, and to S&) "'RII he believe!), docs no1 dcpcnd upoo what be bd.1C\C:S or upon the nalunns or •Ill! he bebC\-es, or upon ob1ain1ng prior pum1,s.1011 from some supcnor au1hon1) The!'c " tnUl III the fr« indlVldual On 1ha1 '" 5hould lla~e our all n.- ,.ho estt ab-Ou1 lruiplft' 1n !he fwu« 11 '<IC "'OUlddo ,.di ton:ad "'~ JIIIUCr Bande11 had 10 1n II hilnr1 , ., Callforn,a, an earl) f'.n1 ,\mendmcn1 ~ TltOSt' ""o 1<'011 our ,,,dr/)('"drnl't' t,,,hr,,.d th1111hr )IMI Md of tltr sutr ",u 10 ,.,,:Jr'"'"
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ff'l"t to dr,.,/op thrir fao,/11rr: and that 111 111 tO• tmmrnt IM c/r/1/Kroti,r for.:a JJu,;,ldp,r,,r:(J thr arb11ron Thr, , o1/11rd ftbrrt,- both e11 a,r rnd a"d 4$ "'f11nJ. bnw•rd f, '>trtT 10 br rh~ )r<"1tt vf liappmru ancl ,oulllj/t 10 br 1hr J«rtl o) ldlffo T?,q bn11r,wJ t.ltal/rrnk;-"' "' rhln4 a; )Uu " '" antt 111 J~A G.! hlu thm! o1rt mto,u ind,tpt,wl,l,· 10 r/w disnrffr) aNt sprtad of pot,1/01/ truth, thur -..11/Jout Jrtt tJ¥«lt a,,J IJJSr"'bh- d~01t "{.N;lt/ 1w Ji;:ik. that "llh thrm, dis, iw,nn effi>rds PNfm.tn/1 od,v~"t< pro1mio11 q;:,,ut t!U' dwt"mut.:rirut of Muuus dl>Ctnnr, tlio11 tltt zrratr~I mtno1<.: h> /rttdom u 011 r.v•1 ptep,t: tlti:l p,JbltC dan.J non i> "Jl(l/11,rol '11111. and tltat thu <!if)u/J t>.· iJ furtdamr,ital ~ of tu .~lllfflClffl zowm,. mtnt 1hr1 rtroqn,;rd tltr rukJ I() -,.!,IN, ,:/I ltr,t11;111 l,UIIIIIIIOIU art l:lbJf'('I, But ,brr A;,v .. that ortJrr NMtll hr un,rrd mtrrh throucli /tor of pu11uh1J1L"1 /()( 113 11ifra"'K>N:. 11,J: ti a lta~ordou, 10 d~"-"""'tt tho"'"'· horw and 1ma,,~.111on, rlwt ftvr bffffb rrp,a:r.a.1, 1h31 rtpra.1on blWfb h'1t,•, rliat liatt mtnam sr.ibJ" 101·rrnm.-n1: th;,/ 1h~ patlr oJ s;ifttY ho lll tht opportum11 ro dt<russ frttt.1 wppomi ,nn a,rrrs o1"'1 /J('l>/JOStd rr,,...rcbt:s: a,uJ 11t..-: tit# /lllllfl rtmfd•0/1N rwl t'OU"•'l.s u 1ood One$ Btl11t,,/ll ,,, tlttpo~ of mzson l1S .:rppllld 10 pub/re dunus,011, tht.1 tSt·hr"'rd siltntt rotrrrd b) la-..-1h.11 wiumtrrt offlN'C't,,., a, form Rt't'Ogn1:1/ll /ht o«a.11onal l\rann1n of ,o,-.,,.,1'& m~on11n.. IMJ' " ~ rlt, Ca,.. >t11u1,on so tlwit fttt •fJtt('h aNI assr'l'lbly Jhould ~ 111Jrrnttrt'd
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T\a1 M C lllollld i unh·~ :b :i.n cdu.:3110011111.>IUUUOll b & IJ\CII Thal 'IC should .:boose 10 opcra1c 1<1th the ,dral cn,1}1..,ncd b) 1hc rm1 AmcndJntoot u a guidmg pnni:tplc u up to C\ct)OIIC 01 !he lnstilUIIOn
Schuler tries Gestapo tactics WeU, Dan, }'OU ask, what is the latest on President Barry Schuler? And it's funny you should ask Lhat. My informants told me that following the publication of the last issue of the Sentinel, Barry called out his Gestapo commander, Dean of Administration Rolland Jurgens, and instructed him to put a liule pressure on some inst.ructors to rally suppon around our failing president. So, the next thing you know, Rolland is nagging down some of NIC's non-tenured inst.ructors and alluding that 1hey would be wise 10 start attending Lhe Faculty Assembly meetings. And, as long as they were going 10 be auending these meetings. if a vote of ·•no confidence" in Barry was initiated, these non-tenured, softmonied, no-job-securicy, first-to-go employees should vote in favor of the president so they can keep their jobs. The dictionary describes this type of acliviry as "coercion," and if not illegal, it is definitely unethical, and it does seem to go against the college's policy on harassment, which is defined as "verbal or physical conduct which has the intent or effect of. .. (2) creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational and work environment on or off campus." If being threatened with your job is not intimida1ing, then I'm 001 really sure what is. Mr. Schuler's response was: "Mr. Jurgens was not acting under my initiative, guidanre or authority." Sure, Barry, and I'U pay you top dollar for the parcel of ocean-front property you've got down in Arizona, 100. And, judging from my past experiences with Jurgens, he's the type of man who could get lost in his own office. His response to my allegations was: "My few contacts with faculty and staff member$ were in no way threatening or coercive. They were, m fact, int.ended only to encourage them to become informed of and in volved in evenlS on campus. A vote in the Faculty Assembly concerning "no confidence" or any other issue i.s a matter of individual consc1ena and nothing I did or said was intended to impinge on that basic r,ght... I think he's full of it. If these events on campus arc as big as Rolly says they are, docs anybody really need 10 go around and "inform" people about them? And why speak specifically 10 non-tenured instructors? \ty onl) question is how do these 1wo men sleep at night? And . puhaps these covert ac1ivities have been successful. Amidst last Thursday's rumor that during the Faculty Assembly meeting there may be a \'Ote of ' ·no confidence," more ins1ruc1ors showed up than anyone can e\'er remember. The question is. how long will we let people like these two get away with I.his type of activity? On a somewhat related issue, according to an article in Saturday's Spol.c:sman-Re-.ieu.. the legislature has allocated $27 million for 1987 construction projectS in the state of Idaho. Boise State University received over SI . I miltion, Idaho State Unh·crsity got over a half a million, Universi!)' of Idaho garnered over S2 million: even Lewis and Clark State College and Eastern Idaho Vocational School received over $500,000 each. got zilch. l'\t ssld Ill along that Barry has lost the respect of all of our state's lcadm-chat the> turn and v.alk the other way when they see him conung-and feu. people bclie-.ed me. Couldn't this be the legislature's wa) of telling u, th.at indeed II is time for a change of power at NIC? And nov. looi. 11,ha1 hL become of 'lils Rosdahl's grievence. Barry as~ed for a two-v.eek postponement of his own testimony in order 10 gain legal coumcl. I guess he has put his foot in his mouth so many times he v.oukl really prefer 1f 1t didn't happen again. Judgmg from the \erbal reedback that is coming in on the Barry issue, ID) com.menu are runrung as many~ 24 10 I that President Barry Schuler ~bould resign as pre$ident. Rumor ha.. it t.1111 Bury even has indicated 10 Trustee members that if they start getung negall\·e commenis about him from 1hc community, he v.ill step do11tn without a 11.bimper. So. nou. is e\erybody's big chance. I know the Trustees would love to hear from you.
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Editor's using press for his own acclaim
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Dear Editor: Dan Breeden-does he think he'\ Woodward or Bernstein? Whatever happened 10 "responsible journalism?" Since when d~ having a "poisoned pen" entitle the bearer to 11.1eld II like a sword? I have heard that "power corrupts." Ho\\ 1s Dan Breeden's use of the student paper for his personal acclaim an)' different than Bari") Schuler's use of NIC for his daughter's wedding' Perhaps Dan wants to be remembered as the last editor of the Sentinel when he's gone. H~ single-handed "coup" may succeed, but at what price to the credibility of the student press? I hope the next time there is an axe to grind. there can be a more humble use of a public vehicle. As Pogo says, ''We have met the enemy, and he is us!" Sincerely, Deborah Younger NIC student
Breeden 's right, Schuler 's wrong; student will picket Dear Edi1or: As a former member of the Sentinel staff and a past student of Nils Rosdahl, I feel inclined to finally speak m)' piece. In the past I have read your articles and opin路 ions and just shook my head in disgust. I thought, like many, Lhat your opinions were very biased and were a way to make a name for yourself. Maybe I owe you an apology. When I first found out that Rosdahl wasn't coming back next semester, I believed it was on路 ly because of Pilgrim's decision to return-not Schuler's wa}' of repaying a teacher for doing his job. Rosdahl is a very capable and compeuuu instructor who knows and loves his job. He is, cry professional and teaches his students the best way he I.nows how-the correct ,,ay. His door is a1,,ays open and his ad,ice is always clear and to the point. not lik~ some instructors who think they are too big for their own britches. Maybe it's time for President Schuler to get off his high horse and do what he is paid to do: make sure that NIC is the best it can be for educating students, not a place where he can park his butt behind a desk and fire instructors for teaching their classes the right way. My apology comes to you for going into President Schuler's office after the first issue of the Sentinel last semester and saying to his secretary, ''Tell President Schuler that I'm sorry for the articles and that not everyone feels that way!" I guess I should have waited. If you picket. I can carry 1wo. Sincerely, Chris Barber NIC student
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Letter writer says
Editor writes like 'bull in china shop ' Dear Editor: I ha\'e btto follo,,..ing-wi1h some restrained amusement and mild annoyance--Mr. Breedcn's series of columns on NIC President Barry Schuler. Until now, l \"e merely laughed and rolled my eyes when reading these little epics. But after reading his March 12 column, I felt compelled to write. 'While, in fact, the details of the coocretc accusalioos made against Mr. Schuler may be true, their credibility is completely eclipsed by Mr. Breeden's clumsy personal anacks. l 've always been under the impression I.bat good journalism attacks the issue. oot the person. Apparently, Mr. Breeden has taken cditori:il liooise on this point. His sophomoric sarcsarn and hyperbolic analogies are pretc:ntious and irritating. Unfonunatdy, he seems 10 have defeated bis original (and valid) purpose of exposing poor leadership by approaching it with the journalistic tact of the proverbial "bull in the china shop."
In specific regard to Mr. Breedcn's March 12 column, l resent being lnsulLed as a reader. Refusal to finish a Breeden editorial is most certainly not a sign of intellectual " Bozo-ism" (as he so quaintly asserted). I consider myself I.O be of c;ctremely sound in路 tcOect, regardless of my possible desire 10 omit the latter half of his editorial from my reading list. As for the reader's boredom-perhaps we arc not so bored with the issue itself as we are with 1.hc author's handling of it. I can only hope that the issue of President Schuler's competency (or incompetency. as the case may be) can be examined clearly, despite the muddying efforts of this paper's editor. I also hope for better things for MI . Breeden, as he a~路 pears 1.0 be a talented ""riter, judging from h;s previous non-Schuler pieces. Sincerely. Theresa Carey NIC stUdent