UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, August 30, 1995
5A
Ordinance faces opposition
By Tara Trenary
Kansan staff writer
The Freedom Coalition and the Simply Equal campaign recently won their fight to add "sexual orientation" to the city's Human Relations Ordinance, but they may soon face another battle.
In May, the Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 in favor of amending the ordinance. The amendment made it illegal to discriminate against people in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation.
"For the first time, gays, lesbians and bisexuals were not alone in fighting the good fight, but were able to gain the support of a wide spectrum of citizens in the community," said Ben Zimmerman, cochair of Simply Equal, in a Freedom Coalition bulletin.
Now these groups may face new opposition to the ordinance.
John Watkins, chairman of the 3rd District Republican Party, has begun a petition to either repeal the amended ordinance or to re-enact it without the words "sexual orientation," said Bob Fairchild, Douglas County counselor.
Watkins declined to comment.
Fairchild said he had reviewed the petition and that it met statutory requirements for petitions of that kind.
Once the signed petition is submitted to the city commission, commissioners can either vote to approve the petition changes or send it to be voted on by city residents. Fairchild said.
Tim Brownlee, co-chair of the education committee for the Freedom Coalition, said that the coalition planned to educate the public as to why sexual orientation should be left in the ordinance.
The ordinance is inclusive of everyone, and there may be a misinterpretation of information, Brownlee said.
Some people who were against the amended ordinance wanted to remove the word "homosexual," but the word is not used in the ordinance. He said opponents also wanted to remove the words "sexual orientation," which would exclude heterosexuals as well as homosexuals.
Neither Zimmerman nor Brownlee would predict the outcome of the proposed petition to repeal the ordinance.
Freedom Coalition
Several events highlighted the Simply Equal Campaign to amend the Human Relations Ordinance.
1994
Simply equal delivers copies of its report to City Hall requesting study session and passage of amendment.
1995 Jan. 18
About 100 people attend study session at City Hall. Former City Commissioner Doug Compton presents Commission with list of 32 questions to be answered before amendment goes to vote.
City staff releases preliminary information on 33 questions so Compton can answer questions at campaign appearance.
Compton announces he will oppose the amendment.
City Commission approves by expected 3-2 vote the amended Human Relations Ordinance.
Source: Freedom Coalition Bulletin
Women engineers join minority program
Florence Boldridge has one more responsibility this year.
Formerly the director of Minority Engineering Programs, Boldridge is now director of diversity programs in the School of Engineering. The title change resulted from the adoption of the Society of Women Engineers into the program this year.
By Hannah Naughton Kansan staff writer
Boldridge said that it was important for this integrated program to exist because the engineering field is dominated by white males.
"Women are making giant strides in this field," Boldridge said. "Minorities are making strides, too."
As diversity programs director, Boldridge now oversees four organizations: The Society of Women Engineers, The National Society of Black Engineers, The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the American Indian Society for Engineering and Science.
The purpose of these organizations is to recruit minorities and women to the School of Engineering and then retain the students through the help of support groups, Boldridge said. They also participate in regional or national conferences where students find opportunities for internships and permanent jobs.
"It keeps them apprised of things going on in the
field," Boldridge said.
Originally, the program was an organization of African-American engineering students. It then changed to oversee all minorities when Hispanics and Native Americans expressed a need for similar organizations, Boldridge said.
The program has adopted the Society of Women Engineers because the group needed the continuity associated with a full-time director, said Thomas Mullinazzi, associate dean of engineering.
Female graduate students once ran the Society for Women Engineers, but the last two advisers quit because they needed to spend more time on their research and with their families, Mulinazzi said.
Boldridge took over because of her experience with the other organizations and because she is a good director, Mulnazzi said.
Boldridge said she hoped the organizations would work together this year.
Tanya Black, Kansas City, Kan., senior and president of the KU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, agreed.
"One of our goals is to put forth a little more effort this year and actually do something with SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) and AISES (American Indian Society for Engineering and Science) and SWE (Society of Women Engineers) too," Black said.
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