THE PENDULUM
Volume 29, Issue 14
December 4, 2003
www.elon.edu/pendulum
Eion decks out for the holidays
Matt Belanger/Photographer
Physical Plant employees began decorating campus earlier this week by hangina
garland and bows on a number of buildings around campus. Forty-thousand lights
were strung in preparation for the holiday season. The lights will be tumed on for the
first time at the tree-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.rn. tonight around Fonville Fountain.
Eion has been decorating its main campus for the holidays since 1983.
Former officer sues town
Steve Earley
News Editor
A former Town of Eion police sergeant
is suing the town, Board of Aldermen,
mayor, town manager and nine other cur
rent and former town officials for race and
sex discrimination.
Patricia Smith, who is of Lumbee Indian
origin and currently a patrol officer with the
Gibsonville department, filed the suit in the
U.S. Middle District Court in Greensboro
Nov. 18. She said the town held her to high
er standards than other employees in justi
fying her termination and did not seriously
consider her for promotions.
“These are not new issues,” said Bob
Wishart, attorney for the Town of Eion.
It s just a different forum they have to be
addressed in.”
Wishart is referring to the appeals Smith
made to the Employment Security
Commission and Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission contesting her
termination. Wishart said in both instances
it was determined Eion officials acted with
in the law.
Smith, who was demoted to corporal
June 20, 2001 and discharged Jan. 18, 2002
after 15 years on the force, contends that
her superiors engaged in retaliatory prac
tices of discipline and that in reference to
several of the incidents used to justify her
termination, town officials told her she did
nothing wrongs
“We don’t feel that the suit has any bear
ing and we will defend [against] it vigor
ously,” said Town Manager Mike Dula.
Among the damages Smith is seeking in
the suit are restoration of her position and
rank, restoration of back pay and 40IK and
$25 million in compensj^tory and punitive
damages for the violation of her constitu
tional and civil rights.
Smith is also seeking the repair of her
professional reputation. On the separation
See LAWSUIT p. 12
Winter Term offers opportunity
Rachel Abbott
Reporter
Less than 5 percent of the nation’s col
legiate institutions offer a winter term.
Elon’s Winter Term gives students chances
they might not have otherwise had during
the rest of the academic year.
“Eion sees this as a real advantage in that
it allows students to take creative classes,
accumulate additional credits that they
wouldn’t get at other institutions and there
is no charge for the Winter Term classes,”
Registrar Mark Albertson said.
Elon’s January term allows students to
concentrate on one class for three weeks.
Many students also use the month between
semesters to do an internship or co-op.
“One of the nice things is that students
can clearly focus on one class,” Albertson
said. “Research shows that students do well
when they can completely focus on one
class.”
Winter Term includes creative classes,
special classes and guest speakers that
include the chosen theme. Every two years
a new theme is introduced.
Continuing from last year, the month’s
theme will revolve around the theme of liv
ing in a global age.
This year, Eion has invited David
Gergen to be Elon’s first Isabella Cannon
Distingusished Visiting Professor for three
lectures. Gergen has been an adviser to for
mer Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and
Clinton.
Gergen will be lecturing at 7 p.m. on
Jan. 6, 12 and 14 in McCrary Theatre.
Also in January, Eion will be exhibiting
“Fabulous Fibers II” on Jan. 9 in the Isabella
Cannon from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit will run
until Jan. 13.
^ See WINTER p. 12
15*1 ^ • A soldier with an Eion connection shares his expe- 'f • Club volleyball ranks second in state after
■ ^'1'" • riences in Baghdad JiL mrnJLm tournament at Appalachian State