ERIC ED430422: About Women on Campus, 1997.

82 Pages·1997·1.8 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
HE 031 981
ED 430 422
Sandler, Bernice Resnick, Ed.
AUTHOR
About Women on Campus, 1997.
TITLE
National Association for Women in Education, Washington, DC.
INSTITUTION
ISSN-1061-768X
ISSN
1997-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
82p.
National Association for Women in Education, Suite 210, 1325
AVAILABLE FROM
18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-6511 ($20 annual
subscription).
Collected Works - Serials (022)
PUB TYPE
About Women on Campus; v6 n1-4 1997
JOURNAL CIT
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*Affirmative Action; Civil Rights; *Consciousness Raising;
DESCRIPTORS
Educational Discrimination; Employed Women; Equal
Opportunities (Jobs); Equal Protection; Females; Feminism;
Higher Education; Sex Bias; *Sex Discrimination; Sex
Fairness; Sex Stereotypes; Sexual Harassment; Women
Administrators; Women Faculty; Womens Athletics; *Womens
Education; *Womens Studies
American Council on Education; Title IX Education Amendments
IDENTIFIERS
1972
ABSTRACT
This quarterly newsletter provides information about the
programs, issues, and concerns, of women students, faculty, and
administrators in higher education. Each of the four issues (comprising one
year's worth) has several regularly appearing sections that present brief
news summaries and reports covering topics such as working in academe and
elsewhere, around the campus, women's studies, women of color, athletics,
sexual harassment, sexual assault, resources, World Wide Web resources, and
job opportunities. A column on the activities of the American Council of
Education's Office of Women in Higher Education also appears in each issue.
Some issues also offer a feature article that presents a more detailed
discussion of a topic; two such articles appearing in this volume of the
newsletter include one that focuses on the origins of the Title IX Education
Amendments of 1972, which prohibit sexual discrimination in educational
institutions receiving federal money, and another which presents various
strategies and responses for handling sexual harassment.
(MDM)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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About
Women
On Campus
1997
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
CENTER (ERIC)
BEEN GRANTED BY
13 This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
/originating it.
NAWE
101 Minor changes have been made to
-\.
improve reproduction quality.
1.6.0
Points of view or opinions stated in this
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
document do not necessarily represent
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
official OERI position or policy.
1
tv\
NAWE: ADVANCING WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION
2
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
HE
ABOUT
WOMEN
1997
WINTER
VOLUME
NUMBER
6
WORKING
source of stress, down 14 points
since 1989. About 12 percent of
IN ACADEME
women stated that they had been
sexually harassed at their institu-
tion.
CONTENTS
WHO ARE THE WOMEN IN
Equal numbers of men and
ACADEME?
women cited child care as a source of
stress during the previous two years
In a survey of nearly 34,000
(around 32 percent).
professors, some differences between
Working in Academe
On all of the questions dealing
men and women stand out:
with racial discrimination, more
Women were more likely to use
women saw it as an important issue
small groups and student-centered
Around the Campus
than men. More than 68 percent of
learning: 50 percent of the women
3
the women, compared to nearly 56
compared to 28 percent of the men.
Women's Studies
percent of the men have as an
Women were more likely to assign
4
important objective helping to
group projects: 30 percent of the
promote racial understanding.
women compared to 19 percent of
Athletics
Women were more likely than
the men.
men to believe that racist/sexist
Men were more likely to rely
speech should be banned on campus:
Sexual Harassment
primarily on lecturing: 55 percent of
65 percent of men compared to 47
7
the men compared to 35 percent of
percent of women.
the women.
Sexual Assault
The American College Teacher
II
Female professors earned 88 to
study was conducted by the Higher
94 percent of that earned by male
Education Research Institute. It is
Resources
professors (rank was held constant).
available for $22 plus $4.79 for
14
Almost 28 percent of the
shipping from HERI, Graduate
women had interrupted their careers
ACE
School of Education and Informa-
because of family issues compared to
18
tion Studies, 3005 Moore Hall, Box
only 4.4 percent of the men.
95121, University of California, Los
Job Opportunities
Men and women differed in
Angeles, Calif. 90095-1521.
their perception of discrimination.
19
UC SYSTEM PAID $4 MILLION
Men were more likely to believe that
IN SEX BIAS CLAIMS
faculty of color and women were
treated fairly on their campus: 90.4
In 1994 we reported that the
percent of the men compared to 72.4
University of California at Los
percent of the women.
Angeles (UCLA) had spent more
Thirty-four percent of women
than a million dollars to settle four
reported subtle discrimination as a
NAWE: Advancing Women in Higher Education
3
WINTER 1997
VOLUME
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
NUMBER
6
1
National Association for
cases involving sexual harassment,
some campuses are developing
Women in Education
sexual assault and sexual discrimina-
policies and programs to help support
tion.
family life for employees and stu-
NAWE: Advancing Women
The problem, however, is not
dents, reports the College and
in Higher Education
limited to UCLA. Between 1988 and
University Personnel Association
Suite 210, 1325 18th Street NW
(CUPA) Foundation and the
1994, women faculty at the nine-
Washington, D.C. 20036-6511
campus University of California
Families and Work Institute.
Phone: [phone]
(UC) system filed 69 sexual discrimi-
The top 25 percent of the 375
eTmail: [email protected].
nation lawsuits involving tenure. In
institutions responding to the CUPA
Editor: Bernice Resnick Sandler
1995 UC paid more than $4 million
survey had, on average, 30 policies or
Executive Director: Lynn M. Gangone
in damages and attorney fees to
programs designed to help faculty
Managing Editor: Abby Brown
women faculty, including a record $1
and staff balance their personal and
Production Manager: Claire Voskuhl
million to Berkeley architecture
work lives. Schools with comprehen-
About Women on Campus is published
professor Marcy Wang. She and
sive programs were more likely to
by the NAWE to provide information about
programs, issues, and concerns of
several other women regained their
have larger budgets as well as human
women students, faculty, and administra-
jobs.
resource managers familiar with
tors. Association members receive About
Many of the settlements were
family demographics. Such schools
Women on Campus as part of their mem-
secret, but came to light when the
also were more likely to have
bership fee. Individual subscriptions are
$20 for one year and $35 for two years.
San Jose Mercury News won access to
experienced some recent change,
Institutional subscriptions are $28 for one
them by claiming they violated
such as restructuring, downsizing or
year and $50 for two years.
California's public records act.
new leadership.
ISSN: 1061 768X
We Advocate Gender Equity
The CUPA report, the first to
Application to mail 2nd class postage rate
(WAGE), a new group of advocates,
study family-supportive policies in
Pending at Washington, D.C. Postmas-
is working to end secrecy and
academe, highlights 15 model
ter: Send address change to About
patterns of bias throughout the UC
initiatives, including dependent care,
Women on Campus. 1325 18th Street,
NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20036-
system. The group, led by Charity
resource and referral services,
6511.
Hirsch (the spouse of a Berkeley
innovative forms of flexible work
Volume 6, Number 1, Winter 1997
mathematics professor), was instru-
arrangements, emergency backup
CD 1997 by the National Association for
mental in persuading the state
child care, and school partnership
Women in Education
legislature to order the UC system to
programs.
The National Association for Women in
report annually how much it spends
College and University Reference
Education is an independent 'nonprofit
to fight discrimination lawsuits.
Guide to Work-Family Programs, costs
professional organization dedicated to the
For those seeking information
$60 ($50 for CUPA members and
education and professional and personal
about sexual harassment and other
development of women and girls. An im-
respondents). It is available from
portant force in American education for
discrimination suits in public
CUPA, 1233 - 20th Street, NW,
more than 80 years, the Association is at
institutions, WAGE's strategy of
Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20036-
a crossroads, serving new populations,
using a public records act to force an
1250.
expanding its services, and developing
new and innovative programs to meet the
institution to disclose what it spent
WOMEN GET RAISES DESPITE
ever-changing needs of women in edu-
fighting discrimination suits might
SUIT FILED BY MALE PROFS
cation.
be a useful strategy to emulate.
In 1992, Virginia Commonwealth
The mission of the National Association
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
for Women in Education is to address is-
University (VCU) gave raises
sues in higher education, with particular
POLICIES ON CAMPUS
totaling more than $440,000 to 172
attention to the interests, scholarship, and
Employees and students of
female professors after a university
advancement of women educators and
academic institutions face many of
students. In a supportive, diverse organi-
study showed that women with the
zational environment for educators from
the same social and economic
same academic rank and experience
a broad range of specialties, NAWE de-
pressures affecting workers in
were paid less than men with the
velops leaders for today and tombrrow.
corporate workplaces. As a result,
same qualifications. Six male
Higher
Education
NAWE: Advancing Women
4
VOLUME 6
WINTER 1997
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
NUMBER
1
professors later sued, claiming that
The annual report on the status of
the salary study did not consider the
women is mandated by the Regents
women's performance, how many
Policy R805. For a copy of the policy
hours they worked or the number of
and/or the report, contact Lou Jean
papers they published.
Flint, Academic Affairs Officer,
The suit was settled shortly before
Utah System of Higher Education,
the case was to go to trial. Although
State Board of Regents, 3 Triad
the amount of money to be paid to
Center, Suite 550, Salt Lake City,
the plaintiffs is confidential, the
Utah 84180-1205.
settlement requires VCU to consider
TASK FORCE HELPS WOMEN
individual merit in future faculty pay
PLANNING LAWSUITS
adjustments.
In the Summer 1996 issue of
TRACKING WOMEN IN UTAH
About Women on Campus we de-
AROUND THE
Since 1982 the Utah State Board
scribed the Academic Discrimination
of Higher Education has tracked the
Task Force of the National Women's
CAMPUS
number of women and men in
Studies Association, which has a
faculty positions in the state system of
network of former and current
higher education. Utah's compilation
plaintiffs to support and advise
COURT UPHOLDS STUDENT
for 1996 covers a ten-year period. It
women planning lawsuits. The task
FEES TO COVER ABORTION
shows women increasing from nearly
force is seeking funding to support
A federal appeals court has ruled
22 percent in 1986-87 to nearly 31
and expand its work.
that using part of a University of
percent in 1995-96. (Nationally
For further information contact
California student fee for health
women hold 32.3 percent of faculty
Annis Pratt, 1056 Larch lea Drive,
insurance that covers abortion does
. positions in colleges and universi-
Birmingham, Mich. 48009. Phone:
not violate the religious freedom of
ties.)
[phone] or mail your contri-
students who oppose abortion. The
Although women comprise 12.2
bution to Virginia Cyrus, NWSA,
court noted that the insurance
percent of full professors in Utah's
Academic Discrimination Task Force
program was not mandatory;
state-supported institutions, only 3.7
Treasurer, 159 Windsor Ave.,
students could turn it down. Further-
Southampton, Pa. 18966.
percent of women faculty hold the
rank of full professor (nationally the
figure is 6.2 percent). Men were more
GUIDE SHOWS FUNDING SOURCES FOR WOMEN'S PROJECTS
likely to be full professors; women were
more likely to be assistant professors.
The newest edition of the National Guide
to Funding For Women and
Thus the phrase, "The higher the rank
Girls describes more than 950 national and local funders and
more than
the fewer the women," holds in Utah
4000 of their recent grants to benefit
women and girls. The grant descrip-
as it does elsewhere.
tions, which cover areas such as education,
career guidance, vocational
The number of Utah women who
training, equal rights, rape prevention, shelters for abused
women, health,
received full professorship (only two)
abortion rights, pregnancy, athletics and recreation,
arts, and social
was the smallest in ten years, with
research are helpful in deciding which funders might be
appropriate for
the exception of 1987. The report
your project.
also shows the distribution of men
The 234-page book includes an index of funding
sources. The third
and women at Utah's nine state
edition (1994-95) costs $70 and is available from the Foundation Center,
institutions.
79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 1003-3076.
.
NAWE: Advancin,g Women in Higher Education
BESTCOPYAVAILABLE
WINTER 1997
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
VOLUME
NUMBER
6
1
more, objectors are not required to
Walk, plus the removal of some
fraternities found in violation of
accept or advocate abortion services.
The court also found that reli-
university rules, has resulted in a
gious freedom was not an issue in
number of changes:
this case because the university did
One fraternity house was
not bar any religious ritual and
converted to a Community Service
students did not suffer any penalties
Living-Learning residence, with male
for exercising their religion.
and female occupants.
The Penn Women's Center is
The case was brought in 1992 by
Gregory P. Goehring, a 1991 gradu-
now located on the Walk.
Another fraternity house is
ate of the University of California at
Davis. Goehring claimed his consti-
temporarily rented by a sorority.
(The fraternity was removed by its
tutional rights were violated by the
WOMEN'S
national office for misbehavior.)
university's practice of spending
revenues from student fees on
The African American Re-
STUDIES
: source Center and Lesbian, Gay,
campus programs benefitting only
Bisexual Community Center now
women, such as a women's resource
center. A lower court's dismissal of
share a building on Locust Walk with
an academic program.
the suit was unanimously upheld by
SURVEY SHOWS WOMEN'S
the appeals court.
Locust Walk will never again be
: STUDIES ON THE INCREASE
the same.
WOMEN STUDENTS LESS
In the survey of American faculty
OPTIMISTIC THAN MEN
BENNINGTON ENDS ANNUAL
described in "Working in Academe"
"DRESS-TO-GET-LAID PARTY"
(page 1), 15 percent of faculty
Although most college students
members said they used readings
After many years, faculty and
believe they will achieve a high level
about women and gender in their
administrators at Bennington
of success in their chosen fields, men
classes, up four percent from the
College have decided to abolish the
are more optimistic than women,
previous survey in 1989.
annual "dress-to-get-laid" party.
according to a recent Gallup Poll.
Additionally, 37.8 percent of the,
More men (65 percent) than women
The Vermont college put a stop to
men and 34.7 percent of the women
(59 percent) said they expect to
the event after objections were raised
exceed their parents' standard of
describe their own institution as
that the party not only offended
having many courses with feminist
women, it encouraged excessive
living in 20 years.
perspectives. The overall 37 percent
Fifty-five percent of the women
consumption of alcohol, injuries to
for men and women combined is
participants, offensive posters, and
said they believe they face a glass
eight percent above the 1989
ceiling in business; only 35 percent
damage to Bennington's reputation.
response to the same question.
of men agreed that women face these
GRAD STUDENT SUES HARVARD
barriers. About 40 percent of the
REPORT ON WOMEN'S STUDIES
Marilyn B. McLatchey has filed
women also saw barriers in science,
IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES
suit against Harvard University,
medicine and law.
claiming that the university denied
The December 1996 issue of
FRATERNITY ROW
her a doctorate in comparative
Women's Studies Quarterly reports on
NO MORE AT PENN
the state of women's studies in two-
literature because she was too
year colleges and presents the results
traditional; that is, she did not
Until very recently, Locust Walk,
of two programs: the Ford Founda-
the center of the University of
advocate gender-based research and
tion-funded Curriculum
did not "fit the mold of advocating
Pennsylvania campus, was occupied
Mainstreaming and Teaching Initia-
feminist doctrine."
primarily by white male fraternities
tive, and the FIPSE-funded Inclusion
and the Wharton School. However,
of Women into the Curriculum,
student efforts to diversify Locust
VOLUME 6
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
WINTER 1997
NUMBER
which together sponsored curricu-
A short bibliography, "The Social
lum transformation projects at 20
: Construction of \Whiteness," is
community colleges.
available at no cost from Mary Kay
Among the topics addressed are
Tetreault, Vice President for Aca-
math, science and technology; the
demic Affairs, California State
inclusion of race, class and gender in
University, Fullerton, P.O. Box
the liberal arts curriculum; develop-
: 34080, Fullerton, CA 92634-9480.
Tetreault, who compiled the
mental writing and English composi-
tion; and faculty development
bibliography, is coauthor with
models in multicultural women's
Frinde Maher of The Feminist
studies.
Classroom, published by Basic Books
Edited by Lisa Fiol-Matta and
(1994).
Myrna Goldenberg, the 250-page
RESOURCE:A GOOD READ FOR
issue (which also includes the
WOMEN'S STUDIES
ATHLETICS
Women's Studies Quarterly program
For an interesting and varied
update) costs $18. It is available from
collection of essays about women's
the Feminist Press, City University
studies, read Talking Gender: Public
THE GOOD NEWS
of New York, 311 East 84th Street,
Images, Personal Journeys, and
AND THE BAD NEWS
: New York, NY 10128-5684.
.
Political Critiques, edited by Nancy
Since 1977, Linda Jean Carpenter,
: LOOKING AT BEING WHITE
Hewitt, Jean O'Barr and Nancy
professor at the City University of
.
Just as Black Studies has examined
Rosebaugh. The anthology covers
New York and R. Vivian Acosta,
what being black means, and Women's
issues such as the heritage of
professor at Brooklyn College, have
Studies has examined the meaning of
women's image from Roman oratory,
been studying women's athletics.
.
being female, a number of scholars
identities in Israel, African Ameri-
Their 1996 findings, like those of
many involved in women's studies
can women leaders and Writers,
previous years, are mixed. The good
have begun to examine the meaning
stereotypes of HIV women, what
news is that the number of women's
of being white. Among the questions
women's studies teaches men about
teams per school is the highest it has
being explored are, "How do assump-
themselves, and the place of women
ever been, an average of 7.5 teams.
tions about whiteness dominate the
in the global economy.
All three of the nation's competitive
classroom intellectually?" "What are
The book costs $39.95 hardback,
divisions showed an increase in the
the privileges conferred by white-
$16.95 paperback. It is available
number of sports offered to female
ness?" and "How does privilege itself
from the University of North
athletes. The most popular sports are
keep the terms and benefits of privi-
Carolina Press, P.O. Box 2288,
basketball, volleyball, tennis, cross
lege invisible?"
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2288.
country and softball.
Unfortunately, the findings also
.
reveal considerable bad news:
FAREWELL TO PAT FARRANT
The number of women coaches
Since the inception of About Women on Campus in 1991, Patricia
has been dropping, from 49.4 percent
and was respon-
Farrant of ACT has shepherded the newsletter's production
in 1994 to 47.7 percent in 1996. In
her five
sible for its handsome design. With the fall issue, Pat completed
1972 when Title IX (the law that
:
of AWOC and has just assumed the
year commitment to the launching
prohibits sex discrimination in
Her skill,
presidency of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars.
: educational institutions) was
enthusiasm and talents will be missed. Abby Brown is our new managing
: enacted, the percentage of women
college in-
editor. She brings much experience to the position. A former
coaches was more than 90 percent,
National Education Association,
structor, she was a correspondent for the
: dropping to 58.2 percent in 1978.
Campus Un-
communications director for the President's Commission on
of several publications on school
rest, and more recently, managing editor
and college discrimination.
NAWE: Advancing Women in Higher Education
7
7't
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
WINTER 1997
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
VOLUME
NUMBER
6
1
most lost more than $1.5 million.
According to a new book, Keeping
More than half of the head
Only one of the Big 12, the
coaches of women's teams are men;
Score: The Economics of Big-Time
University of Kansas, had more than
Sports, football on most campuses
women hold 3,138 of the 6,580
200 female athletes; Baylor Univer-
positions. Although the number of
does not pay for itself, let alone
sity, Kansas State and Oklahoma
subsidize other sports. Author
these positions increased by 209
State University each had less than
Richard G. Sheehan estimates that
since 1994, women held nine fewer
100 female athletes. Each of the Big
only about 30 to 35 athletic depart-
of them in 1996.
ments consistently acquire snbstan-
12 institutions had at least 215 male
Although men became coaches
athletes.
tial surpluses from football and men's
for women's teams in large numbers
Seven of the 12 universities lost
basketball. In NCAA Division I
after passage of Title IX, there was no
money on their athletic programs.
movement of women into jobs
schools, only 41 make a profit, with
One problem with the new law is
only 31 earning more than a million
coaching men. Only about two
that institutions may end up using
dollars each year. The rest lose
percent of head coaches of men's
different methods to collect financial
teams in the NCAA are female. In
money.
information, making it difficult to
Thus the argument that football
almost all of these women coach
should be exempt from financial and
combined men's/women's teams. (In
compare institutions.
other calculations used to assess
programs where the head administra-
WOMAN COACH WHO SUED
tor is a female, more of the coaches
equity in sports programs under Title
COACHES ELSEWHERE
IX does not make sense. Sheehan
for women's teams are female.)
Marianne Stanley sued the
argues that the subsidies for men's
The number of female adminis-
University of Southern California in
and women's programs should be
trators of women's programs is
1993 because she was paid less as
equal: if men's sports, including
dropping: 18.5 percent in 1996
head basketball coach for women
football, are subsidized, then
compared to 21 percent in 1994.
than was her counterpart for men. A
women's sports should be subsidized
Less than one female per school
federal judge rejected her arguments,
by the same amount.
is found within the administration of
finding that the coach of the men's
The book is published by Dia-
women's programs, even though over
team had substantially different
mond Communications of South
77 percent of programs have more
duties than that of the women's
than one administrator. In fact, there
Bend, IN.
team. The case is currently under
are more women college presidents in
NEW LAW REQUIRES
appeal.
each of NCAA's three competitive
DATA ON ATHLETICS
Stanley lost her job and, despite
divisions than there are female athletic
three national championships on her
In October 1996 the Equity in
directors over both men's and women's
resume, had difficulty finding
Athletics Disclosure Act of 1995
programs.
another coaching position. She
went into effect. The law requires
For a copy of the study, send a
applied for more than 80 before she
institutions to provide financial data
:
self-addressed, sta'mped (550)
was finally hired in 1996 by the
about men's and women's sports
envelope to Carpenter/Acosta,
programs to assess equity. The
University of California at Berkeley.
Department of Physical Education,
. Chronicle of Higher Education (October
ATHLETES MORE LIKELY
Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
25, 1996) collected some of its own
TO BINGE DRINK
11210.
data from the Big 12 and reported
A new study from Harvard
DO MEN'S SPORTS SUBSIDIZE
. the following:
University found that women and
WOMEN'S TEAMS?
The average salary difference
.
men student athletes are more likely
Some opponents of equity require- between the head coach of a men's
to engage in binge drinking than
. team and the head coach of a
ments for athletics have long argued
students not involved in athletics.
that men's football and basketball
women's team was between $18,000
Harvard found that half of the
and $25,000; at Kansas State the
should be exempt from Title IX be-
women involved in athletics had
cause the earnings from these sports
difference was $55,000.
engaged in a recent drinking binge,
No college among the Big 12
are used to support other sports played
compared to 36 percent of women
. broke even on women's athletics;
by both women and men.
NAWE: Advancing Women in Higher Education
VOLUME 6
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
NUMBER
WINTER 1997
1
who were not athletes. For men, 61
The harassment included sexual
: percent of the athletes had engaged
taunting, obscene gestures, name
in a recent binge compared to 43
calling and violent threats. Similar
percent of non-athletes. Women
cases, particularly in elementary and
: athletes, like men athletes, were
: high schools, are on the increase.
more likely to have been drunk three
Supreme Court refuses to
or more times in the month prior to
; review a case allowing student-to-
: the study and more likely to drink in
: student harassment. A federal
order to become drunk.
appeals court in Texas had ruled that
In another study, Aurelia Nattiv, a
: a school was not liable for student-to
:
: UCLA physician, found student
: student harassment in a case involv-
athletes more likely than other
ing eighth-grade boys who had
: students to ride in a car with an
: touched the breasts and genitals of
intoxicated driver and more likely to
: two sisters. The appeals court said
SEXUAL
drink alcohol when their sport was
that the school would only be liable
HARASSMENT
: not in season. The study found that
if it handled claims of sexual harass-
:
: student athletes may also engage in
ment differently for boys than for
more unprotected sex and have more
girls. Other courts have disagreed,
sexual partners than non-athletes.
: finding that Tale IX covers student-
PEER HARASSMENT:AN
: Several other studies also have
: to-student sexual harassment. The
EXPLOSIVE ISSUE HEATS UP
suggested that athletes may engage
Supreme Court's refusal to review
For several years, your editor has
:
: in more risky behavior than other
the appellate decision does not affect
: been predicting student-to-student
: students.
other jurisdictions. Thus only in
. sexual harassment was about to
Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are
SHOULD COLGATE HAVE
become a major controversial issue.
students not protected from sexual
VARSITY WOMEN'S HOCKEY?
: When two young boys were sepa-
harassment by other students under
rately charged with sexual harass-
That question has been up in the
Title IX. The case is Rowinsky v.
: ment in New York and North
air for more than seven years.
Bryant Independent School District.
: Carolina after they were caught
Women students who participated
Proof of intent to discriminate
kissing their classmates, newspapers
in club-level hockey sued Colgate
is not necessary to prove school
: and others criticized the schools for
University to obtain varsity status. A
liability. A U.S. district court in
: overreacting. (The New York child
federal district court judge ruled in
California has ruled that a separate
had pestered two girls previously and
1990 that Colgate violated Tale IX.
showing of intent to discriminate is
: ripped the button off the clothing of
But in 1993, the U.S. Second Circuit
not necessary to prove institutional
: the girl he kissed.) As part of the
Court of Appeals ruled that the case
liability in a case involving student-
discussion, however, the media noted
was moot because all the plaintiffs
to-student harassment under Title
: more serious examples of
peer
had graduated or were about to
IX.
: harassment. Other developments in
graduate.
The Court also found that "actual
peer harassment, include the follow-
The case didn't end there. The
or constructive knowledge" of sexual
ing:
women's attorney recruited new
.
harassment by one student against
California court awards
students to raise the issue again in
another and failure of the school to
$500,000 to female student. In
1994. Two years later another federal
remedy it are sufficient to establish
October, 1996, a jury ordered the
judge ruled that the case should go to
the school's liability. The case applies
Antioch (Calif.) Unified School
trial. During the intervening years
principles developed in workplace
District to pay Ttanna Ugarte a half
Colgate has hired a full-time coach
sexual harassment cases to those of
million dollars after finding she had
for the team, allowing it to compete
student-to-student harassment. The
endured months of sexual harass-
against varsity-level teams.
case is Doe v. Petaluma [Calif.] City
ment from a sixth-grade classmate.
School District.
NAWE: Advancing Women in Higher Education
9
WINTER 1997
ABOUT WOMEN ON CAMPUS
VOLUME 6
NUMBER
1
Although the bill does not cover
his syllabus to the department chair
Government issues guidance
;
higher education institutions,
for approval, attend a sexual harass-
on student-to-student harassment.
colleges and universities might want
ment seminar, undergo a formal
The Office for Civil Rights of the
to explore adding similar provisions
evaluation, and change his teaching
U.S. Department of Education has
to their sexual harassment and sexual
style if it interfered with a student's
issued a Draft Peer Harassment
assault policies.
learning.
Policy Guidance. The policy ap-
Cohen sued, claiming that the
peared in the August 16, 1996 issue
GODDARD COLLEGE SETTLES
discipline imposed on him interfered
of the Federal Register, with a 30-day
SEXUAL HARASSMENT SUIT
with his First Amendment rights and
comment period. The 20-page
WITH STUDENT
his right to academic freedom. A
document, which was sent to
Tiffany Wilson, a former student
:
federal district court upheld the
educational institutions throughout
at Goddard College, Vt., has settled
college's action, but a three-judge
the country, makes it clear that Title
. her sexual harassment suit against
panel of the U.S. court of appeals
IX covers student-to-student sexual
: the college. Wilson alleged she was
reversed the decision, finding that
harassment and an institution is
sexually harassed by Daniel J.
the college's policy was "constitu-
liable for the conduct of its students
. Gribbin, Goddard's Dean of Admin-
tionally vague." The appeals court
when the school creates a hostile
istration. She charged Gribbin with
did not explain its reasoning and
environment or the school knows of
making sexually harassing remarks to
offered no guidance on how to frame
the harassment and fails to take
. her when she was a resident assistant
a policy so as not to infringe on First
immediate and appropriate steps to
at the college. Gribbin was riot only
:
Amendment rights. The college's
stop it. The policy covers schools at
her supervisor but also the person
sexual harassment policy paraphrases
all levels, including colleges and
responsible for investigating sexual
.
the definition of sexual harassment
universities.
: harassment complaints.
used by the U.S. Equal Employment
COURT FINDS COLLEGE
Wilson stated that Gribbin
Opportunity Commission and similar
HARASSMENT POLICY VAGUE
continued to harass her even after
.
California regulations.
she told him his remarks were
A federal appeals court has held
The college has petitioned for a
. unwelcome. She noted that when she
that the First Amendment rights of a
rehearing by the entire appeals court.
was later hired by Gribbin as his
San Bernardino College professor
CALIFORNIA BILL GIVES
personal administrative assistant, he
were violated when the college ruled
RIGHTS TO STUDENTS FILING
pressured her to perform a variety of
that his explicit classroom discus-
INTERNAL CHARGES
sexual acts and continued to harass
sions were sexual harassment. Dean
.
: her after she left his office for
The California legislature has
Cohen, a tenured English professor,
another position. She was eventually
passed a bill giving elementary and
included vulgarity and profanity in
hospitalized for severe depression.
secondary school students who are
his classroom teaching, often
; Wilson told college officials about
victims of sexual assault or sexual
focusing discussion on sexually-
Gribbin's behavior, but they did not
harassment at school the same rights
oriented topics. During a discussion
take action.
and protections as victims who file
on pornography, Cohen read from
Although the settlement is
charges in criminal court. Among
Hustler and Playboy magazines.
confidential, a local newspaper
those rights are the right to be
When a student protested an
stated that it totaled six figures.
accompanied by a parent or other
assignment to write about pornogra-
. Goddard says it currently is in a
support persons during testimony at
phy, Cohen refused to give her an
budget crisis and has cut back on
disciplinary hearings, the right to
alternate assignment. The student
several faculty positions. The dean is
adequate notice prior to being called
filed a sexual harassment complaint,
still employed in his position.
to testify, the right to testify at a
and the school's grievance commit-
.
closed hearing, and the right to have
tee found that Cohen had violated
evidence of irrelevant sexual history
the college's sexual harassment
excluded.
policy. Cohen was ordered to submit
Women in Higher Education
NAWE: Advancing
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