The Metropolitan State College of Denver student newspaper, serving the Auraria Campus since 1979
MSCD sanctions discrimination protest tuition per credit hour plan
New anti-discrimination policy exempts religious groups, ROTC from compliance Martin Rush Staff Writer
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llxly-flY8 MSCD students from the music department marshalled a protest March 4 In President Thomas Brewer's office. The il8ue was rn.r's tuition restructuring proposal mandating that tuition be paid on a.per credit hour
basis. The group said that Brewer's proposal would force full-time students to subsidize part-time students.
A new policy at MSCD forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation has dismayed student government leaders because it doesn't include religious clubs or ROTC. The policy statement, issued Feb. 20 by MSCD President Thomas Brewer, "prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in all college employment" and "in all student activities and organizations, with two narrow exceptions only." The exceptions for religious clubs and ROTC were made on constitutional grounds, according to Chris Citron, associate director of Legal Affairs for State Colleges of Colorado. "The state of constitutional law is such that we don 't believe we can interfere with people's sincerely held religious beliefs," Citron said. "Freedom of religion under the First Amendment guarantees religious groups the right to exclude people on the basis of their sexual orientation," she said, "whether we like it or not." Citron said case la\., supports the position that anti-discrimination rules cannot be extended to clubs and organizations with religious affiliations. ROTC, which operates under the auspices of the U.S. government, was not included in the new policy because of the constitutional separation of federal and state powers, according to a Feb. 12 letter from Brewer to MSCD Student Government President Chip Wiman. see Discrimination page 8
Former gang members share sorrows, hopes Barry Tobin Staff Writer He stood in front of the audience of 100 people who had come to discuss solutions to Denver's growing gang violence-violence that had snuffed the young lives of three friends last year. "My name is Jesse Chavez," he said. "I was a member of the West Side Inca Boys." He held a microphone in one hand and a picture of a gravesite in bis other hand. "This is my friend Damon," he said. "All he got for Christmas was pine cones on bis grave." Damon Murphy was shot near West High School last July 26, Chavez said.
SACAB urges no increase for child care Page3
"He died in the hospital 11 days later." Silence hung heavily in the room. He held up another gravesite photo. "This is my friend Joey," he said. "He got flowers on his grave for Christmas." When a bullet ended Joey's life, he and his girlfriend were expecting their second child, Chavez said. "Joey has two kids that he's never gonna see." There are 3,200 active gang members .in Denver, said Denver police Lt. Pete Garcia. "Not all gang members are juveniles," Garcia said. "Seventy percent are adults." Denver police Capt. Tom Sanchez said that many gang members are young women. Women gang members hold weapons and
carry the drugs for the
gang. "We have a limited numberoffemale officers on_the gang unit," he said. "I~ is a very difficult social problem for male officers to (search) women gang members." Sanchez said that the gang unit siezed 294 guns from gangsters last year. Many were siezed on school
Child Care Center introduces young to fine arts Page 17 '
see Sorrows page 8
Jesse Chavez with Damon Murphy (right) who was killed In August.
spoil women's championship Page 27