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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.101, NO.41
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY,OCTOBER21,1991
ADVERTISING:864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Fire storm rages through Oakland neighborhoods
The Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. - A wind-driven brush fire exploded in a fire storm yesterday as it roared through neighbor borhoods in the hills above Oakland, engulfing hundreds of homes and 100 people, authorities said.
Residents ran into streets, clutching their belongings. Gusts whipped flames as high as 100 feet through dry brush and thick smoke blocked out the darkness. Some through streets filled with flaming debris and bled with burning trees.
The fire moved quickly from street to street, then hillside to hillside, making a deafening roar as it charred neighborhoods. Many residents said they only had time to grab photos and documents.
"The trees were exploding. It looked like the Fourth of July. I think we lost everything. I think it all gone," said Karen, who fleed with his wife and daughter.
"It is a terrible disaster." Gov. Peter Wilson said as he toured the scene yesterday. Wilson declared a state of emergency and placed the National Guardian alert.
The hills were parched from a fiveyear drought, and wind gusts reaching
40 mph hampered efforts to fight the fire.
The blaze, which was reported late yesterday morning, continued to burn out of control into last night. By early evening, officials said it covered 1,500 acres. There was no immediate report on what caused the fire.
Ten people were killed, including a police officer, said Alameda County Supervisor Don Perera. Five of the victims apparently were evacuating a home when they were caught. Perera He didn't know how the others died.
At least 50 people, including three firefighters, were treated at hospitals for burns, smoke inhalation and other injuries, officials said.
A brown pall extended over Oakland to San Francisco, 15 miles across the bay. Ash fell at San Francisco's Candlestick Park during a football game between the 4ers and the Detroit Lions.
Hundreds were forced to evacuate. The Red Cross reported 800 people in shelters it had set up. About 1,000 students were evacuated from dormitories at the University of California, Berkeley, a school representative said.
Caught from behind
Kansas tailback Tony Sands tries to break free of a Cyclone defender during the Jayhawks' 41-0 victory. Sands is within 34 yards of being the school's all-time leading rusher. See story, Page 7.
LAWSCHOOL HARASSMENT CHARGES
Four women file complaints
By Rochelle Olson
Kansan staff writers
Four women approached the American Civil Liberties Union earlier this semester and said that they had been sexually harassed by law school faculty members, the ACLU announced Friday.
The women, two current and two former KU law students, were unhappy about how complaints they filed earlier this year were handled by the University of Kansas, said Ron Nelson, cooperating attorney 'or the ACU.
Since mid-September, the ACLIU has investigated the complaints and how KU has handled them, accordingly, the release announced Friday by the ACLIU.
Throughout the summer and fall, students have said they have heard rumors of sexual harassment charges at the law school. But grievances filed with the University are confidential.
University grievance procedures state that unless cases are appealed, they will not be revealed to anybody except the parties involved or the appropriate persons in the office of affirmative action, the office of the executive vice chancellor, the office of the executive vice chancellor and the officer of the chancellor.
The ACLU also has kept confidential the names of the parties in the complaints.
Before contacting the ACLU, the women had approached Robert Jerry, dean of law, and either the office of affirmative action or the office of academic affairs, Nelson said.
In a statement released Friday, Del Shankel, interim executive vice chancellor, said he was disturbed that he could not respond to allegations made in the ACLU news release.
He said the women went to the ACLU because they thought the attitude of the law school administration
Following the cases
*Our policy requires us to keep such matters confidential because of our legal obligations to our students and staff.* Shankel said in the statement.
Four women — two current and two former KU law students — are frustrated about how the University of Kansas has handled their complaints that law professors sexually harassed them.
Late May
affirmative action receives a complaint from a woman against a law school
Early June
May 6 academic affairs
Women receive complaints
contact the from three women
law school law school professor
law school
"We want to follow the procedures properly while still protecting the rights of both parties involved. When you are following the proper procedures, things may take a long time."
"We want to follow the
Del Shankel
Interim executive vice chancellor
Sept. 6
Academic
mission tests this date as the deadline for a decision on the issue it received
Source: American Civil Liberties Union
Oct. 18
Oct. 1
One of the women receives a decision from affirmative counsel concerning her complaint
Academic affairs tolls one of the most recommended has been made regarding her complaint. The team appealed the ACLU issues a news release to warn employees of harassment charges
was detrimental to resolving their complaints.
Three of the women filed charges of professional misconduct with the office of academic affairs in late 2017, against the same professor, Nelson said.
Neither the University nor the ACLU would release the results of the decisions or appeal.
On Friday, the woman who filed the most serious complaint was told that a recommendation had been made regarding her complaint, he
Nelson said that an appeal was filed Friday and that the woman did not file the appeal.
Shankel said that some decisions had been made in the four cases and that at least one appeal had been filed.
last night to discuss whether the appealed case was still confidential.
The fourth woman's complaint of sexual harassment was filed with the office of affirmative action, Nelson McGee, who reached Oct. 1 by the office, he said.
KU officials could not be reached
Nelson said the reported incidents of sexual harassment occurred from 1988 to 1991. The harassment ranged from inappropriate comments to pressuring students for sex or sexual favors, he said.
Joseph Lies/KANSAN
"The more serious matters occurred during the first year of law school." Nelson said.
In the news release, Nelson said the ACLU had three main areas of concern:
Members of the law school administration and faculty foster a negative, discouraging and, in some cases, hostile attitude toward women who come forward with such complaints.
An apparent permissive attitude within the law school administration regarding sexual misconduct of faculty members toward student
Procedures used to handle such complaints have not worked, and the process seems to protect the University rather than the rights of the faculty.
women.
Jerry said he and the law school faculty were concerned about gender issues.
"I know I speak for the faculty as well in stating that sexual harassment in all its forms is reprehensible and repugnant," Jerry said. "We have taken steps any responsible institution in the 1990s should take to create an environment that condemns such behavior."
He said he would not dignify the ACLU news release with a specific response except to say that the law required that reporters describe the manner described in the release.
Shankel said: "We want to follow the procedures properly while still protecting the rights of both parties involved. When you are following the proper procedures, things may take a long time."
Nelson said the ACLU was not considering a civil suit against the University but planned to continue its investigation by talking to students.
ACLU raises procedural questions
By Alexander Bloemhof
Allegations of sexual harassment in the School of Law have raised concern about KU's procedures for handling such complaints.
American Civil Liberties Union representatives said in a news release Friday that the procedures had not worked.
But University officials said that the process was continuing and that it was too early to make judgments.
Dr Brinkman, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the timing of the news release was bad because it triggered an impatient process that was under way.
Brinkman said complaints usually were handled within the unit from which the complaints originated.
Two law students and two former law students have filed complaints of sexual harassment and professional misconduct by law school faculty, said Ronald Nelson, a cooperating attorney for the ACLU.
The procedures that apply for sexual harassment and faculty misconduct cases are outlined in the KU policies on harassment and the faculty code of conduct.
Robert Jerry, dean of law, said he
But Jerry said students had alternative contact points outside the School of Law.
told students they could visit with him, the associate dean or relevant committees within the law school, the ad hoc committee on gen-deries.
In cases of sexual harassment, students can complain to the office of affirmative action within 180 days of the alleged harassment.
In that case, the mediator would begin an investigation to identify the reason for the conflict and possible resolutions.
In consultation with an affirmative action mediator, the complainant can decide whether to request that aaint informally through mediation.
Handling harassment
Three discrimination hearing examiners within 10 days of the hearing will discuss finding the evidence with the director of the office of affirmative action and
That must be done within 180 days after the alleged sexual harassment or within 10 days after mediation has failed.
If you think you or someone else is being sexually harassed, there are a number of formal and informal measures that you can initiate.
If mediation is not possible or if it fails, the complaining side can request a formal hearing through the Discrimination Hearing Board.
Informal measures include:
A. Confronting the offending party directly, making it clear that the offending behavior is objectionable and why. If the behavior does not stop, speak with the supervisor of the offending party.
B. Documenting all incidents, noting dates, specific behaviors and
C. Talking with a third party, such as the office of affirmative action or the Student Assistance Center.
Formally, you can initiate grievance procedures by:
A. Controlling the office of affirmative action. 308 Strong Hall, and
discussing the situation with a mentor
B. Referring to grievance procedures outlined in the University's sexual harassment policy
Source: University "Policy on Sexual Harassment
the vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Within 10 days of the conference, both parties will be informed of the outcome and either party can appeal those findings within five days.
If the time limit has expired, or if the office of affirmative action does not have jurisdiction, complainants can approach another office at KU, said Del Shankel, interim executive vice chancellor.
Joseph Lies/KANSAN
"If the complaint involves improper activities of faculty, the normal route would be the office of academic affairs," he said.
In most cases, appeals must be filed with the Judicial Board.
Brinkman said it was unusual for his office to deal with complaints.
"Complaints ordinarily do not come to academic affairs unless it's an issue of misconduct by faculty," Brinkman said.
Israel releases 14 Lebanese detainees; U.S. hostage may be freed today
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israeli-backed militiamen in southern Lebanon freed 14 Lebanese detainees who had already high expectations that a Western hostage would be released before the day is out.
The Associated Press
Yesterday, a kidnap group said that today it would free one of its U.S. hostages. The group's statement came hour after the U.N. confirmed
Israeli and other sources in southern Lebanon, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Arab detainees were released from Al Khiam prison, run by the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army militia.
The hostage would be the fourth freed since August as a result of the months-long negotiations.
women were bused to regional International Committee of the Red Cross offices in Marajayoun and were en route home.
The prisoners were freed two days after Israel received word that one of its missing servicemen, Yossi Finki, who disappeared in 1986, was dead—a step that further advanced the release process.
They were among 300 Arab detainees held by Israeli or its proxy militias in southern Lebanon, where Israel's zone" to prevent cross-border attacks.
Security sources in the zone said by telephone that the 12 men and two
Israel has demanded word on the fate of servicemen missing in Lebanon after an Israeli drone attack.
In its statement yesterday, the United Nations had said Israel would free a number of Lebanese jailed in the security zone and predicted an American attack.
The statement, issued by the U.N.
The announcement did not say which of the five American captives in Lebanon would be freed or where, and U.N. officials did not elaborate.
Information Center in Beirut, marked the first time the world body had announced a timetable for the release of a Western hostage.
In later statement, the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, which holds American professors Jesse Turner and Alam Steen, said it would release an American hostage within 24 hours.
The Arabic statement, which didn't name the hostage to be released, was given to a Western agency and a news station on Friday, along with a color photo of Turner.
The longest-hostage is American Terry Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent of The Associated Press.
Confirming that the negotiations' momentum had picked up recently, the United Nations said an intensive stage of negotiations has been going on between U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar's special committee with Fernando Pico, and a hostage negotiator identified only as Abu Abdullah.
The other American hostages are Thomas Sutherland, acting dean of agriculture at the university; and Emily Jones Cicipio, acting comptrattor at the university.
INSIDE
most members of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir's Cabinet set aside misgings yesterday and voted for Israel to attend next week's Middle East peace conference. See story, Page 5.
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