March 27,1995
Pages
Echo News
Complaint tests university's new policy
Sexual harassment
from page one
ing, unlike many sexual harass
ment claimants who change their
minds after having time to recon
sider.
A date for the hearing was set
for Feb. 21. Lewis says that she
informed Avent of the date in per
son and by letter. Avent says that
she did not know the date of the
hearing until the letter from Lewis
reached her on Feb. 17.
“The letter was postmarked in
good enough time for me to get it a
week before the thing, but I didn’t
receive it [until four days before
the hearing],” Avent says. Accord
ing to Avent, she received the let
ter from Williams, who says that,
if she remembers correctly, she
gave both Avent and Ryan certi
fied letters as soon as she received
them.
Lewis says that she was un
aware that Williams had initially
received Avent’s letter. The six-
hour hearing, which was closed to
the press and the public, was held
in Room 149 of the Miller-Morgan
Health Building from 2:30 p.m.
until 8:30 p.m. The claimant and
the accused were allowed to bring
one person each as legal counsel.
According to the sexual harass
ment policy, legal counsel may be
an attorney, a family member, a
Mend, an advisor, a minister, or an
advocate of any kind. The counsel
are allowed to attend the entire
hearing, but not to speak to the
panel.
Avent’s father attended the
hearing, which prevented her from
bringing in a teacher whom she
had originally asked to be her ad
vocate. “They said it was policy—
she couldn’ t come in,” Avent says.
According to Avent, she and
Ryan were both allowed unlimited
time to address the panel, and to
call witnesses to support or refute
claims. The procedural policy for
hearings also allows for cross-ex
amination of witnesses, but states
that legal rules of evidence do not
apply.
“It’s not a court, that’s all that
means,” says Lewis. “We don’t
allow objection, overruled, sus
tained, that sort of thing. It’s just an
administrative hearing. We try to
filter out a whole lot of the hearsay,
but we don’t always do it. We hear
a lot of stuff that a court wouldn’t
hear for a minute, so we’re not as
sMct as a court of law. “
Since most of the incidents de
scribed in Avent’s letter were not
witnessed by anyone, both sides
relied mostly on character wit
nesses, according to Avent. Some
of these witnesses were allowed to
submit their testimony by letter,
she says.
Witnesses who were present,
waited outside the hearing room
until they were called.The hearing
was recorded by a stenographer.
Harassment starts
when you say 'Stop'
Sexual harassment is an issue
ofperception, Lewis says. “Some
sexual harassment is subtle,” she
says. “It just makes you feel un
comfortable for someone to keep
saying, ‘Hey sugar,’ or rubbing
on your shoulder. All a person
needs to [say] is ‘Stop, I don’t
want you to do it any more.’ “
“It depends on the person it’s
being done to, because actually
some people are not offended by
that. Others are very offended.”
Lewis describes more severe
forms of harassment as “the type
of harassment that’s very blunt.
Pinching people on their hiney.
Taking advantage of someone or
maybe trying to kiss someone
against their will.
It all goes back to what it is to
the other individual, and how
well you know the person.”
Lewis has organized a series
of sexual harassment prevention
seminars which will take place
throughout March and April.
On-campus students will be
trained in their dormitories, with
schedules made by Residence
Directors.
Attorney Adrienne Fox will
schedule sessions for law stu
dents.
Off-campus students may call
560-6253 to reserve classes
which have been scheduled for
the Student Union; class times
are listed in the policy that was
distributed recently to faculty,
staff, and students. Faculty and
staff members have also been
scheduled for training sessions.
Lewis says that a list of cam
pus field representatives will be
given to students who attend the
seminar. Others may pick one
up at thePersonnel Office.
who will later provide a transcript.
For now, Avent and Ryan are
still living in the same dormitory,
and Ryan continues to be a senior
residence adviser.
Avent says that her acedemic
standing may have suffered be
cause of the case, and that her
reputation has taken a beating as
well. “[The case] hasn’t done any
thing but cause problems for me,”
she says. “My grades are suffer
ing. I went in and out of the hospi
tal with my asthma. I went in a
deep state of depression.**
Taking a stand has subjected
Avent to negative attitudes from
other students, male and female.
she says. According to Avent, some
of these people are friends of
Ryan’s, and others do not believe
that Avent’s alleged experiences
constitute sexual harassment.
Avent is an Incentive Scholar
who was recruited to attend NCCU.
She says that she may decide to
attend North Carolina A&T State
University next year, although her
falling grades may prevent her from
getting a scholarship.
Avent says she plans to pursue
the matter further if the chancellor
decides in Ryan’s favor. “I’m tak
ing it outside the school and hiring
a lawyer,” she says.
Even if the decision favors her,
Avent says she is worried that it
may come too late for disciplinary
action to be taken against Ryan,
who is expected to graduate in
May.
Lewis says she is unsure what
will be done if a guilty verdict is
found after he graduates.
Ryan, who refused to be inter
viewed for this story, is the presi
dent of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Inc., a member of the honor soci
ety Alpha Kappa Mu, and vice
president of the English honor so
ciety Sigma Tau Delta.
According to the policy, the
panel must submit its recommen
dations to the chancellor within 10
working days after the hearing.
The chancellor, upon receipt of the
panel ’ s findings and a written tran
script of the proceedings, has seven
days to render his decision.
SICKLE HEMOGLOBIN can stack in rigid rod-like structures to change the
shape of the red blood cell. These rigid cells can block blood vessels
possibly causing tissue damage and pain.
Glaxo, Carolina Power & Light
contribute to scholarship fund
Doughnut shaped red blood cells in a person with only adult hemoglobin
or sickle cell trait flow evenly through blood vessels like this:
Echo staff
North Carolina Central Univer
sity is on its way towards reaching
its $50 million Capital Campaign.
Glaxo, Inc. donated $25, 000,
which will be used to fund a $5,000-
scholarship to be awarded this fall
and $20,000 for the university's
scholarship endowment fund.
Glaxo's director of Community
Affairs and NCCU trustee. Bill
Shore, expressed the company's
support for education and in the
vision and leadership of Chancel
lor Julius Chambers.
Blood drive sets goal of 250 pints
In another development, Caro
lina Power & Light donated
$30,000 for scholarships.
CP&L board chairman and chief
executive officer, Sherwood H.
Smith, Jr., urged the university to
use the scholarship funds to help
deserving students from one or
more of the counties the company
serves in North Carolina.
A scholarship award of $5,000
will be given in the 1995-1996
academic year, and $25,000 will
be allocated to the university's
scholarship endowment fund.
By Virginia Richards
Campus Echo Staff
NCCU will be holding its next
blood drive on March 28 at the
Student Union and 29 at the Health
Education Building.
Both days the drive will be held
from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and donors
can start signing up to give blood
as early as 9:15 a.m., said Parrish.
Those lined up by 3 p.m. will be
able to donate as well.
“In November, our blood drive
collected 106 pints,” said Dr.
Theodore Parrish, dean of the
health education college.
”Our goal for this drive is to
collect 125 pints each day which
would more than meet the goal for
this year of 300 pints.”
“If we meet our goal we will
surpass the national giving level of*
5 percent of the American popula
tion. We already surpass the do
nating pattern of most African-
Americans.”
At last semester’s blood drive,
many factors prevented a more
successful drive, said Parrish.
Females were turned away be
cause of low iron, which is caused
by students not eating properly.
Students should remember to eat a
nutritious diet at least two weeks
prior to the blood drive, said
Parrish.
Another factor was students
with recent tattoos.
People should keep in mind that
donors can not give blood if they
have received a tattoo in the last 12
months, said Lynne Brenner,
American Red Cross donor coun
selor.
“With no idea of the clinical
technique used for sterilizing
needles at these (tattoo shops) fa
cilities, we have to give a waiting
period,” said Brenner.
The blood drive is co-sponsored
by the American Red Cross and
NCCU. This is a university wide
cooperative effort between the
Health Education Club, Commu
nity Service Office, NAACP-
NCCU Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority Inc., and the Physical
Education Club, said Pamsh.
Shayna Simpson, a volunteer
from the Health Education Club,
said, “We send the flyers to attract
the people and work as greeters at
the drive.”
HELP WANTED
Women of Color
Needed for Study
What: Research study designed to learn about options and obstacles
to seeking guidance, help, and support after rape, and to improve
community services for rape survivors.
Who: Women of color 18 years of age and older who have experi
enced rape, attempted rape, and/or sexual assault.
How:
*AII information will be guarded with the strictest
confidentiality
'Structured interview lasting 2-3 hours
‘Follow-up informational (and question/answer small) group with
other women of color survivors (1 hour).
Pay: All participants will be reimbursed at a rate of $15/hour.
CONDUCTED BY:
Carolyn Bass, Social and Health Sciences, Duke University.
if interested, call 919/ 286-5000