F R I D A Y APRIL 30, 2004 Vol. 125, No. 79
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STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
INSIDE
Return of remaining Nicaraguan workers uncertain
THE FALL PLUMMETS
University promises monetary compensation Travis Peterson checks out the Strokes concert, Matt Simonton suffers through the “debacle” that was The Fall in concert, and Tyler Weaver’s got the last Celluloid Paralysis of the year.
PAGE 5 BASEBALL VS. WEBSTER
By Sarah Kliff q Contributing Editor
JONATHAN LANE / STUDENT LIFE
The Sigma Chi Fraternity House sits quietly Thursday afternoon. The house was the alleged location for events last week that have since sparked a University probe into the fraternity.
WU investigation into Sigma Chi set to begin Meanwhile, Sigma Chi National Organization suspends WU chapter By Jonathan Greenberger q Editor in Chief
The baseball team falls to Webster University 7-9 and takes on Maryville University on Thursday. Also, check out a new edition of “I Don’t Roll on Shabbos” in honor of athletic achievements in eating.
PAGE 12 STUDENT SNAPSHOT are your plans for Q: What this summer? I will be a slave to the A: A.corporate world and a dedicated copy-boy/-girl. Translation—I have an unpaid internship. B. I will be analyzing the social and economic effects of capitalism on the proletariat. Translation—I will be working a crappy minimum wage job, either waiting tables or folding pants while listening to some 16-year-old tell me how cool it is to have her driver’s license. C. I will be spending my summer lying on the beach in an exotic locale, working on my tan. Translation—your hatred of me is now completely justified. D. I’m graduating, and therefore entering the Real World, and I don’t mean the MTV show with seven strangers. Translation—insert shriek of terror here. Check out studlife.com
INDEX Cadenza Forum Calendar Sports
page 5 pages 7-8 page 9 pages 11-12
The investigation into a series of Sigma Chi videos and photographs is scheduled to begin in earnest this morning. Yesterday, the fraternity’s national organization suspended the Washington University chapter of Sigma Chi for 45 days. This decision was made by the Sigma Chi Fraternity Chapter Review Subcommittee, which unanimously voted for the suspension in order to allow the national organization’s officials to work with University administrators in investigating the fraternity’s actions. Assistant Vice Chancellor for Students Jill
Carnaghi said the “principals” of the University’s inquiry will convene today to discuss how to proceed in the case and to begin to “put all of the pieces together.” The investigation will center on approximately 28 videos and 31 photographs of events that allegedly took place at the Sigma Chi house last week. The videos primarily show groups of students telling jokes and performing in skits. Most were of a sexual nature and revolved around women they know or have had relationships with. During and after many of the skits, the videos depict performers being pelted with beer cans and boxes by members of the audience. Another fraternity gave the videos and photos to the Greek Life Office on Tuesday. Since that time, the Office has released a statement condemning the actions as “inappropriate” and “unacceptable.” Carnaghi said that a conscious decision was made to delay the start of the investigation until
See SIGMA CHI, page 4
In spite of concealed-carry law, University promotes weapons-free campus By Kristen McGrath q Staff Reporter With Missouri’s concealed weapons law recently deemed constitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court, permit holders will be allowed to carry concealed weapons throughout the state. Despite this decision regarding what is called the “concealed-carry” law, Washington University has resolved to preserve an environment free of concealed weapons. “Certainly we are concerned about the overall safety of the campus community, and we don’t think it was consistent with the University’s mission to allow concealed weapons and weapons in general on campus,” said Chief of Police Don Strom. Although it is unlawful under the concealedcarry law to carry a concealed firearm into an educational institution without the consent of the institution’s governing body, the law allows a permit holder to stow a weapon in a vehicle, providing that it is not removed from the vehicle while on the premises. The University, however, as a private institution, will prohibit stowing firearms in vehicles parked in University-owned parking facilities. “The University has made a policy that says we will not allow firearms to be in the car,” said Strom. “Even if a person has a license that states it is okay to have [a weapon] in their car in a university setting, our policy is that you can’t have it [at] our institution.” In light of the concealed-carry law, universal no-gun symbol decals will be placed on University-owned meters and University shuttles. “We are simply making an effort to inform people who visit campus that the University is still off-limits to concealed weapons and weapons of any kind,” said Fred Volkmann, vice chancellor of public affairs. “[The signs are not] so much for students in our own community. [They are] mostly for people who may be coming to visit or who may be using our facilities.” Similar signs will be posted on off-campus buildings, including University-owned apartments and the Lewis Center. Other properties leased from the University, such as Kayak’s
STUDENT LIFE
Coffee, can post decals should the leaseholder choose to display them. “It’s a matter of education,” said Volkmann. “If a person who receives a permit [to carry a weapon] is properly trained as the state requires, they will know that there are areas that have the right to deny them the privilege of carrying that weapon. By notifying people that these are University structures, although they may not be on the campus itself, it informs them that they would not be acting appropriately if they were to carry the weapon inside and would be subject to some further action.” Sophomore Katie Hosack does not expect the concealed-carry law to have a major impact on
See WEAPONS, page 4
EMILY TOBIAS / STUDENT LIFE
A sign at Schnucks reflects the grocery chain’s policy prohibiting concealed weapons inside its stores. Soon, many Washington University buildings will sport similar signs.
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While eight Nicaraguan workers have re turned to Washington University in the past week to work for Top Care, Inc., the rearrival of the remaining 28 workers now looks ext remely doubtful. A l though m o s t believed t h e y would be coming back to St. Louis, T o p C a r e did not contact t h e s e re m a i n i n g worke rs STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES w h e n Sergio Salmeron, a leader of the SWA. t h e company met with select employees in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua last week. Top Care, the landscaping company contracted by the University, contacted the eight workers for a meeting regarding their return to St. Louis and their future employment. The rest of the deported workers, who had been employed under the University’s former landscaping contract with G&G Building Services, received no contact from Top Care about this meeting. On Tuesday, the Student Worker Alliance (SWA) delivered a letter to Chancellor Mark Wrighton stating that they “would like the University to act honorably as an employer and do everything in its power to bring the Nicaraguans back.” The administration has frequently stated that the contractors, not the University, are responsible for the hiring practices. The letter from the SWA claimed that “the University was directly responsible for bringing these workers to St. Louis in the first place…the University employed these workers as its own employees, despite there being contractors in between.” In their written statement to the Chancellor, the SWA also included a letter from University Manager of Maintenance Operations William Wiley in which Wiley claimed responsibility for part of the University’s relationship with the workers. In the letter, dated May 31, 2002, Wiley wrote that “officially members of this group will be employees of a contractor of the University called Spann or Encompass, but I am going to have much control over the use of the workers.” Wiley declined to comment on the situation, stating that he did not have the authority to at the time. In a letter of response to the SWA’s statement, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Ralph Thaman wrote that the University has kept its promise to assist the displaced workers. “At the time the workers departed in No vember 2003…the University agreed to assist the workers who were returning to Nicaragua in obtaining an interview with Top Care so that they could be considered for subsequent employment,” wrote Thaman, adding that the University did arrange for these interviews and that each worker hop ing for an interview with Top Care received one. According to Thaman’s letter, “the University acted in good faith during the interview process…However, the University did not and could not guarantee that Top Care would ultimately hire the Nicaraguan workers, and the University clearly made that point to the workers at the time.” The SWA’s letter to the Chancellor also demanded a refund of the $275 that workers paid to hold their lease on apartments in St. Louis. According to the SWA, “all 36 workers signed an agreement that relieved them from any and all debts in St. Louis. However, after boarding the plane Mr. William Wiley, maintenance manager for Washington University, collected $275 dollars from every worker—allegedly to pay their
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See WORKERS, page 4
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