Volume20
Issue 6
September 26, 1997
The Metropolitan State College of Denver student newspaper serving the Auraria Campus since 1979
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News · wants cash allotted for profs Page 3
Sheila Kaplan
Commentary Campus incidents prove college no safe haven from society~ ugly element Pages
FINDING THEIR WAY: Metro student Lee Zuberer and her Seeing Eye dog, Hamlet, enjoy a quiet moment Sept. 22 behind the Plaza Bulldlng.
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Tormented on campus Blind student, dog deal with harassment By J~ Stephemon TM Metropotl/an
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Lee Zuberer says the bulk of the time she's spent at Auraria over the last three years has been wonderful. But this semester has been anything but wonderful for Zuberer, a 56-year-old Metro student who is blind, and Hamlet, her Seeing Eye dog. Instead of the friendliness and consideration she's grown accustomed to on campus, Zuberer said she and Hamlet have become the target of nasty comments and mean-spirited jokes. "This semester is different," she said. ''There's an air of meanness about things. People say things like, 'What the fuck is a dog doing here?' and 'If that dog bites me, I'm going to sue that fucking bitch.' " Zuberer said up until very recently, she and Hamlet have been hassled on campus at least twice a day this semester. Zuberer, who went blind four years ago because of retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative optical nerve disease, won't speculate on why people's attitude toward her and
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ordered the dog to continue up the stairs, Hamlet have soured. ''There's a lot of good people in the Zuberer said. "I put my life in her paws, and J refuse world, but things have changed on this cam.to discipline her for caring about me," she pus," she said. "I can't say why." But Zuberer said she is sure that the said. Zuberer said she and Hamlet share a daily obscenities and jokes aimed at her and her dog are affecting her sense of security deep bond. The dog can sense Zuberer's emotions by her tone and her grip on the and Hamlet's ability to do her job. Hamlet is trained to disobey commands dog's harness. "When I get rattled she knows that," only if the orders put Zuberer in danger. Zuberer said since she paired up with Zuberer said. "(Hamlet's) confused, she Hamlet in 1995, the dog has displayed feels like she isn't protecting me." Kelly Espinoza, Metro's Americans "intelligent disobedience" only three times - two of which occurred on campus this with Disabilities Act coordinator, said he's not certain why people are giving Zuberer semester. "When Hamlet thinks I'm in danger, she and Hamlet such a hard time, but speculated puts her body in front of mine or tries to lead that overcrowding on campus might be part of the problem. me away from the danger," Zuberer said. ''There's one theory about this, and that Hamlet did just that early this semester in the West Classroom. Zuberer and Hamlet is that this campus was built to accommowere going up a staircase when a student date 15,000 people," he said. "We have spotted them, screamed and jokingly threw about 33,000 people here now. Everyone's in himself against the railing. This prompted a a hurry trying to get somewhere." round of laughter from bystanders, she said. Because of the ruckus, Hamlet tried to lead Zuberer back down the stairway and see ZUBERER on 4 away from the scene even though she
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Quotable ..There • • 12 people In the world. "Ille rest .,. just ......"
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- Mn E. Smith