Friday

March 6, 1998

$1.5 million lawsuit goes to trial

CSUS President Donald Gerth has been subpoenaed to appear in a $1.5 million wrongful termination lawsuit brought against CSUS by the former Multi-Cultural Center director Suzanne Brooks.

Testifying early next week in the trial that began Tuesday, Gerth is one of three current and former university administrators being sued by Brooks. Also named in the suit are former Vice President for Administration Mernoy Harrison and current Vice President for Academic Affairs Jolene Koester.

Brooks was fired in September 1995 after five years of working as the Multi-Cultural Center's first director. She was fired after an extended leave of absence left the center without a permanent, full-time director, according to university spokeswoman Ann Reed.

According to Reed, Brooks was granted medical leave for stress after allegations broke out of her misusing Multi-Cultural Center funds. In spring 1994, the State Hornet ran a series of stories following allegations that Brooks loaned money from the center's funds to students for traveling purposes.

"She was out on leave for I believe up to 18 months," Reed said. "We expected her to come back, but she did not."

"The university investigated the reported allegations," Reed continued. "As I recall, the university found no illegal conduct, but poor management skills on the part of Suzanne Brooks."

According to David Wagner, dean of Faculty and Staff Affairs and a witness in the case, Brooks' leave was a combination of sick leave, catastrophic leave and leave without pay. Because she was an at-will employee, she did not have to do anything wrong to be fired, he said. Her termination was at the discretion of the administration.

Brooks and her attorney, David Brown, were unavailable for comment. However, according to BAMN -- By Any Means Necessary -- a Berkeley-based group that defends affirmative action, Brooks was fired on a racist and sexist basis for defending the Multi-Cultural Center and its use of funds.

Thirteen BAMN members picketed in front of the Sacramento Superior Courthouse in support of Brooks Tuesday morning before the trial.

On Monday, BAMN supporters passed out fliers in the Library Quad soliciting support for Brooks. The flier said endless reporting by the State Hornet and resentment from the university caused Brooks' serious health problems.

Brooks' original lawsuit included charges of defamation against the State Hornet for extensively reporting on the issue. However, according to university counsel Donna Selnick, Brooks' attorney never followed through with the summons for the newspaper. "There is no longer a defamation suit against the State Hornet," Selnick said. "The wrongful termination is really the heart of the case."

CSUS' attorney, Deputy Attorney General Robert Cross, was unavailable for comment. Witnesses include Brooks' former supervisor, former Vice President for Student Affairs, George Wayne.

According to Selnick, the presiding judge, A. Richard Backus, predicted the trial will last about five days.

ASI OKs conference donation

By JEFF HARRELSON
HORNET NEWS EDITOR

Associated Students Inc. voted Wednesday to donate $2,500 to a California State Students Association-sponsored conference on higher education.

CHESS III, the California Higher Education Student Summit, is the annual political gathering of students and elected state officials to discuss issues important at the college and university level.

David Shorey, ASI's representative to CSSA, said the donation was made because a summit such as CHESS provides exposure to political and social issues outside the classroom. CSSA is the CSU system's student lobby organization.

"(CHESS) shows students what's going on and what to be aware of," Shorey said. "It is something we can give and are happy to give."

CSSA staff member Johnnie Carlson said he was pleased with the donation by the ASI.

"It will be a tremendous help for the association and the conference," Carlson said. "This could be one of the largest donations by the campuses."

The conference, being held April 24 to 27, will begin at CSUS with a barbecue and a debate between candidates for the California's U.S. Senate seat. The bulk of the conference will be held downtown in the Sacramento Convention Center.

This year's summit will feature all the pre-primary gubernatorial candidates together on one stage for the first time in California history, Carlson said.

According to Carlson, most of last year's CHESS costs were balanced by student fees charged for attendance and that he did not expect any of the other CSU campuses to match a donation of that size. This year's event will cost CSSA about $27,000.

This year, ASI opted not to pay the $11,000 in dues necessary to be a voting member of the organization on the grounds that the lobby group was internally inefficient. Shorey said ASI objected to CSSA's then legislative advocate and its poor financial situation.

Shorey said ASI's decision to donate to the CSSA-sponsored summit shows the campus is willing to lend support on well-planned activities.

"We are very happy with CHESS because we see a direct benefit to students," he said.

Shorey called the concept of CSUS now paying its dues a "possibility."

"We have a certain level of standards we expect from CSSA and its internal structure," Shorey said. "I know there have been improvements in the way CSSA operates and we are happy with that. We understand CSSA is an important organization, but there are certain aspects we would like to see improved."

Student lobby group gains new voice

Despite working with an antique Macintosh Classic and a copy machine nicknamed the "Mir Copy Station," new California State Student Association legislative advocate Susan Cusack is already making student voices heard at the Capitol.

On Tuesday, after only three full days on the job representing over 300,000 students in the CSU system, Cusack had already started researching all upcoming legislation regarding higher education and prioritizing it. She also repaired the "squawk box" -- a one-way radio that broadcasts the Senate and Assembly floor and all committee meetings.

Cusack comes to the service of CSU students after working in the Capitol as an aide to two assemblymen.

"In the past, I worked with CSSA and I always let them in the office and listened to them because they represent students," she said.

Though student associations are not considered "heavy hitters" when it comes to lobbying, Cusack said legislators listen because of the number of students CSSA represents.

"Next to the prison population, the student population is the next largest growing industry," she said.

The legislative advocate's job is to speak for the students in the Capitol, a job Cusack says is crucial since education will be a focus in the upcoming election.

"It's also a concern that the administration is represented so well, yet the students don't feel a need to organize. Students assume that the administration has the same goals as them. That's never safe to assume," she said. "Without any disrespect, we need to make sure that we're protected in our interests."

Class size reduction, diversity on campus and other more political topics are issues where students and administrators may not agree, Cusack said.

At the top of her priorities list for this year is Senate Bill 1896, which would roll back graduate student fees by five percent starting in 1999.

"We are trying to get all students on this bill, to extend the fee rollback to everyone," she said.

Another priority is getting errant campuses -- including CSUS -- to pay dues to CSSA and participate as full members. Yearly dues for the association are 50 cents per enrolled student.

Benefits for students far outweigh the costs, Cusack said.

"There's so much students can do to get involved. Especially here in the capital," she said.

Cusack is organizing a Lobby Day at the Capitol to coincide with the upcoming California Higher Education Student Summit, or CHESS, convention in April. She hopes students will use this exposure to legislators to let their representatives know their concerns aboutthe future of education.

"This is a good opportunity to say hello and let them know that we're active here and open up an extended relationship," she said.

Greeks address issue of alcohol use awareness

Although it was the Greek community that filled the Redwood Room Wednesday night, the crowd's discussion revolved around whether drinking is high-risk behavior for all college students.

The Alcohol Awareness Seminar, sponsored by the CSUS Inter-Fraternity and Panhallenic councils, engaged a student panel to bring awareness to problems among college drinkers. The seminar was in the wake of two alcohol-related deaths that occurred at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Louisiana State University last year.

Although the average age of students at CSUS is higher than its eastern counterparts, the problem of alcohol still exists, according to panel facilitator Laurie Bisset-Grady, director of health education at the Health Center. She cited current studies about the effects of alcohol on behavior and how certain factions within a college campus put people at risk of binge drinking.

"Campuses across the country are looking at the issue of the way alcohol is used primarily by college students," said Bisset-Grady. "Campus problems linked to alcohol included higher dropout rates, sex offenses, and lethal binging that has induced death."

Bisset-Grady also pointed out that universities are heavily targeted by alcohol advertising and promotion, leading college students to spend an annual $5.5 billion on liquor.

Panelists included members from fraternities and sororities, students and community service groups such as Safe Rides. They gave personal testimony as well as feedback to the audience.

Issues surrounded using of alcohol within a social setting and understanding the key to drinking responsibly.

"The biggest thing to do is to get people talking about the issue and to get other organizations interested in GAMMA -- Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol," said Safe Rides director Tammy Nale. "It also provides opportunity for diverse groups to give personal accounts."

"Ninety percent of my friends do drink," said panelist and Sigma Chi member Brian Cooley. "One of our brothers was almost killed in a car accident and it really opened our eyes."

Panelist Dan Freschi, ASI director for undeclared students, said moderation is important for drinkers to learn.

Gary Davis, public relations officer for the Inter-Fraternity council, stated the purpose of the panel was to educate students to drink responsibly.

One member of the audience challenged the various organizations to bring in more guest speakers and promote further alcohol awareness and education.

"The real purpose of the panel is putting a personal face on the issue of the facts," Bisset-Grady said.

POLICE LOG

SATURDAY, FEB. 14
AUTO BURGLARY: CDs were taken from a blue Toyota in Lot 8.
AUTO BURGLARY: The left window of a 1995 Honda Accord was smashed in Lot 4B and stereo equipment valued at $1,400 was taken.

SUNDAY, FEB. 15
BURGLARY: The front panel of the vending machine was smashed on the first floor of the Psychology Building.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE: Three boys were throwing rocks at a campus building from the bike trail.
RECEIVE FOUND PROPERTY: A bike with mismatched wheels was found near the Science Building on State University Drive.

MONDAY, FEB. 16
AUTO BURGLARY: The window of a 1993 Toyota Corolla was smashed and $2,900 of stereo equipment was taken.
ATTEMPTED AUTO BURGLARY: There was damage to the driver's side lock of a 1990 Honda Civic, but nothing was disturbed in the interior.
PETTY THEFT: The rear license plate, Honda emblem and license plate frame valued at $45 were taken from a 1995 Honda Civic in Lot 8.
AUTO BURGLARY: A Pontiac Grand Am was broken into in the parking lot near Desmond Hall. A Sony face plate, lap-top computer, cell phone, 35 CDs and backpack with a textbook were taken valued at $5,700.
INJURED PERSON: A man was taken to Sutter Memorial Hospital after having a seizure in the Physical Education Field House.

TUESDAY, FEB. 17
INJURED PERSON: A woman fell off-campus and was taken to the dorms by a friend who lives there. An ambulance took the woman to UC Davis Medical center with injury to her eyes.
ASSAULT/BATTERY: A confrontation occurred over a parking space in the residence hall parking lot.
NON-INJURY ACCIDENT: A business van ran into a light pole near the Business Building.
AUTO BURGLARY: A 1990 Honda Accord's door was pried open and speakers and an amplifier were taken.
WELFARE CHECK: A man was walking down the middle of State University Drive. He appeared to be disoriented and could not state his name. He was taken to Sutter Medical Center.
WELFARE CHECK: There was a report of three small children left unattended in a car. The report was unfounded as there was an adult present.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE: A man in Lot 8 appeared to be casing vehicles in the area.
DISTURBING THE PEACE: A crowd of fraternity members was verbally out of hand at an intramural basketball game. They were dispersing when an officer arrived.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE: A transient was found sleeping in the Arboretum and was asked to leave campus.
DISTURBING THE PEACE: A fight was brewing outside Mendocino Hall and a large crowd was gathering in the area. The parties involved were gone when an officer arrived.
PETTY THEFT: A bike was stolen from campus.
PETTY THEFT: A backpack, book, umbrella, notebook and sunglasses were taken from a locker room in the Physical Education Building.