Western Front - 1999 April 16

              Friday, April 16,1999 The Western Front Western Washington University Volume 108 Issue 5 Bellingham, Washington
By Sara Buckwitz
THE WESTERN FRONT
More than 300 people, many of
them standing, gathered to dis­cuss
the recent report of rape and
A safety on campus Wednesday
afternoon in Viking Union Main
Lounge.
Eileen Coughlin, vice president
of Student Affairs, began the
meeting by stating that no com­munity
is immune to acts of vio­lence.
She commended Western's
community for its positive
response, apparent by the high
turnout of people.
University Police Chief Jim
Shaw talked about the alleged
rape and role.
"You have my undying commit­ment
that [the police department]
will do everything it can to con­clude
this investigation," Shaw
said.
Shaw asked the audience mem­bers
for feedback and information
regarding the alleged rape. He
talked about the self-defense
classes and personal safety pre­sentations
on campus that help
ensure the safety of those on cam­pus.
He said 28 emergency
phones are on campus and six
See SAFETY, page 4
Kosovo, sexual assault among
topics protested in Red Square
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By Daniel Peters
THE WESTERN FRONT
A loud, pulsing sound echoed
through Red Square Wednesday
morning while students lay
sprawled on the bricks in silent
protest to draw attention to the 1
p.m. rally.
The staged event drew more
than 200 students to the rally
protesting American involvement
in Kosovo and Iraq and address
campus concerns including rape,
diversity and animal testing.
"The violence happening so far
away is the same violence hap­pening
on our campus and in our
community," said Anna Brandt,
cofourider of Activists Coming
Together.
ACT, the Associated Student
club that hosted the rally, is an
umbrella group for A.S. clubs and
community activists who work
through non-violent means to
bring equality, peace and justice
to Western and Bellingham,
according to the club's mission
statement.
The rally opened with ACT
member Blair Taylor attacking
American and NATO involve­ment
in Kosovo while promoting
a peaceful end to the bombing.
Taylor accused the U.S. gov-
Nick Haney/The Western Front
Top right: Kim Morrison speaks to an audience of 200. Above: Students and supporters
of the Peace Resource Center gather in Red Square to protest NATO action in Kosovo.
ernment of escalating the war
and increasing genocide in
Yugoslavia by giving an ultima­tum
at the February peace talks
in France.
Activist Charlie Brown, who
recently returned from Saudi
Arabia, spoke against the condi­tions
in Iraq, saying 1 million
hunger-related deaths have
occurred since U.N. sanctions
were imposed.
Protesters related the interna­tional
violence to Western issues
of animal rights and rape.
Monica McCallum, co-coordi­nator
of the Women's Center,
spoke about the recent report of
rape on campus.
See RALLY, page 4
First forum introduces candidates' stances on issues
By Tiffany White
THE WESTERN FRONT
The Associated Students' first
panel featured the 1999 candi­dates
for the A.S. elections last
night in the Fairhaven
Auditorium. The candidates sat
facing the audience as a panel of.
three members quizzed them on a
variety of campus issues.
The A.S. presidential candi­dates,
Victor Cox, Aaron Spencer,
and Stephen Shurtleff, discussed
issues of diversity, safety and
chalking. Cox said all three issues
-intertwine and can be solved with
open lines of communication
between students and faculty.
"We need to have open forums
with students and administration
— that is where the problems are
solved," Cox said.
Spencer said he would take a
pro-active approach to the issues
and used the problem of campus
diversity as an example.
"I can tell you as A.S. board
president that I would encourage
to bring out the diversity that we
do have to attract people," he
said.
Shurtleff agreed with his oppo­sition
about the need for educa­tion
concerning issues of campus
safety and diversity. He said,
however, students can find other
methods to voice their opinions,
" See CAMPAIGN, page 4
Provost candidate goal: translate university aspirations into reality
Chris Fuller/ The Western Front
Andy Bodman
By Julie Graham
THE WESTERN FRONT
The fourth provost/vice presi­dent
for academic affairs candi­date
forum ended with a 20-
minute dialog between professor
Andy Bodman, vice provost at the
University of Vermont, and facul­ty
and staff regarding resource
allocations.
Approximately 60 people
attended the forum for Bodman,
geography professor and interim
dean for UVs graduate college.
Bodman said he tried to
approach resource allocation
rationally: "I can't defend a situa­tion
where a department that's
been very successful is penalized
for its success because its operat­ing
budget is rising at the same
rate as a department which has
been spectacularly blind."
He said education is facing sev­eral
pressures, including a lack of
clear direction and tightened
funds. • ^ .
"What I'm attempting to do is
translate university aspirations
into reality," he said.
Bodman stressed he didn't
want to overemphasize the divi­sion
often perceived between
administration and faculty.
"I'm not interested in building
an empire. I want to be able to
communicate with the faculty," he
said.
On a similar note, Bodman said
if he was chosen as Western's
provost he hoped he would be able
to teach classes as he does now.
"I liked him," said communica­tions
professor Kelly McDonald.
He said Bodman sounded as if he
would come with a very open
mind.
Forum addresses safety issues Police seek suspect
Courtesy of University Police
A Bellingham Police Department
forensic artist composed this
composite sketch of a man sus­pected
of raping a woman at 8:30
a.m. April 8 in Miller Hall. The
suspect, described as a white
male in his twenties, 5 feet 10
inches to 6 feet tall with dark
brown hair, has been connected
to the victim by University
Police,
Technology fee
increase referred
to students
By Natalie Quick
THE WESTERN FRONT
The Associated Students
Board of Directors voted unani­mously
Wednesday evening to
include a $5-per-quarter
increase in the Student
Technology Fee as a referendum
in the April 27 and 28 election.
"The fee increase has been
proposed because the current
capital is inadequate to meet the
technological needs of the cam­pus
community," Cox said.
Each $10 STF is matched by
$7 from the administration. The
Western Foundation contributes
$100,000 per quarter, bringing
the quarterly STF revenue to
$530,000.
With the proposed $5 increase
the quarterly STF revenue
would be $745,000.
"I would vote for it as long as
they show how the funds are
being allocated," senior Hilary
Ferguson said.
Cox said that during the past
four years, students, adminis­tration
and the Western
Foundation have invested more
than $200,000 in technology on
campus — 365 new, computers,
18 new laser printers and the
Titan server.
IN THIS ISSUE
Western students
to perform
award-winning play
"Cabaret"
brings the
decadence of
pre-war
Berlin to life
next week at
Western's
Performing Arts Center.
Story page 6.
FRONT ONLINE
http:/ / westernfront.wwu.edu