Western Front - 2005 October 25

              THE WESTERN FRONT OCTOBER 25,2005
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WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY An independent student newspaper serving the campus community since 1970. ISSUE 11, VOLUME 135
FIGHTING FOR FAIR LABOR
AS vice president campaigns
to end sweatshop-produced
Western products, clothing
BYZACHKYLE
The Western Front
To prevent Western clothing from originating in
sweatshops, the Associated Students is considering a
push to affiliate the university with an international labor
watchdog group, the Worker Rights Consortium.
"It's entirely safe to say that all Western clothes are
produced in sweatshop-like conditions
' W i l l i ftSl outside Of a select few factories," said"
Mark Iozzi, AS vice president for business
and operations. "It's an issue for the AS because it's an
issue for students."
AS President Shannon Hutchinson said the AS board
of directors will vote Nov. 2 on whether to recommend the
affiliation to Western's administration. The administration
will then decide whether to affiliate with the consortium by
becoming a member.
Iozzi said the structure of the clothing industry causes
a gap between universities and the workers — a gap the
consortium works to close.
"Western contracts with major clothing brands who
then, in turn, contract with independent factories all
over the world," Iozzi said. "It's how these factories are
see SWEATSHOP, page 4
TAYLOR WILLIAMS / THE WESTERN FRONT
Mark Iozzi, AS vice president for business and operations, hopes to link Western with a new labor group.
Mills hearings conclude
Hearing panel has 15 working days
to determine future of Mills' career
JARED YOAKUM / THE WESTERN FRONT
Theatre arts professor Perry Mills will soon
learn whether the university will fire him.
BY CIARA O' ROURKE
The Western Front
The hearings Western
conducted to assess theatre arts
professor Perry Mills' teaching
eligibility ended Wednesday.
The hearing panel has until
Nov. 9 to deliberate and* issue
a judgment to Mills, Provost
of Academic Affairs Andrew
Bodman and Western President
Karen Morse.
The five-member panel could
decide to fire Mills or dismiss the
charges against him, Western's
Assistant Attorney General
Wendy Bohlke said.
"I'm glad the university is
going through this," theatre arts
department chair Mark Kuntz
said. "It sends a message that the
university is willing to defend the
faculty handbook."
Western's faculty handbook
guides the board of trustees and
the administration in matters of
employment, welfare, rights and
responsibilities. The handbook
has guided Mills' hearings.
The hearing panel conducted
six meetings in the past - two
weeks to assess Mills' future with
the university.
The theatre arts department
placed Mills on an indefinite paid
suspension in October 2004.
The faculty handbook limits
the comments members of the
theatre arts department can make
on the issue.
"Employees of the university
are not legally allowed to respond
to a personnel issue until the issue
is resolved," assistant theatre arts
professor Deb Currier said.
The panel's hearing officer
Judge Robert Alsdorf, a former
King County Superior Court
judge, declined to comment.
"I was a judge for 15 years,"
Alsdorf said. "The general rule
for judicial officers is to not speak
of the substance of the hearing
during or afterward."
Wednesday's meeting began
see MEETINGS, page 4
U.S.-Canada
border will be
passport-only
BY SHANNON DEVENY
The Western Front
Canada is a popular weekend destination for Western
students, but starting Jan. 1, 2008, those without
passports will hot be able to cross when a new law
regarding the U.S.-Canada border begins.
In December 2004, U.S. Congress passed the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which will require U.S.
citizens traveling to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda,
the Caribbean, and Central and South America to have a
passport to enter the United States.
. "Come Jan. 1,2008, if you want to go to the Canadian
IKEA or White Rock you will need a passport," said
Chuck Hart, program manager of Western's Canadian-
American studies department.
The process of implementing this law begins Dec.
31, 2006, when all air and sea travel will require
passports. Midnight of Dec. 31,2007, will mark the full
implementation of this law when all border crossings,
including those in vehicles, will require passports.
The legislation's goal is to tighten security at the
borders and move people through borders faster by
decreasing wait time through the use of a uniform type
of identification, said Mike Milne, public affairs officer
for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
see BORDER, page 3
DEMOLITION DAY
Student volunteers demolish
a Bellingham home as part of
Make A Difference Day
FEATURES, PAGE 7
SECOND IN GNAC
The men's cross country team
finished second in the GNAC
championships Saturday
SPORTS, PAGE 8
MOVIE-SCRIPT ENDING
The Bush administration scripted
president's chat with soldiers and
billed it as spontaneous
OPINIONS, PAGE 10
WEATHER
Wednesday: Rainy
Hi: 58 Low: 44
Thursday: Sunny
Hi: 56 Low: 47
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