Jan. 20, 1986 page 3 25050, 0-0-0 0" 0"0"0-0"0"0"0"0-0°0 <0.0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0.00.0.0 60006080 eeeneecesecvcesesas 0:0 0-00" 0"0"0"0"0"0"0"0"0"0"e"0"6"0-0 "0-070" 0 67071 Bee EEE EEE EEE Eee SEES SEES SEES SEES eee MAES EES ESS Ou ne hcen ean ee as cocwe sein stiuigsiet ao haem ie dite on asecateceeedesedeteteceeeleseteteeteleteteteteeteteteteteteeteteteteteetetetetetetettatazanatsesagatanettetetsteeoreregsratan Cariboo castrates panes The college professor who was fired in December for publicly criticizing the quality of education at Cariboo Col- lege says he was provoked to make the remarks after en- during one year too many of budget cuts to the college. “Things just kept getting worse,’’ said Allan MacKin- non, a psychology instructor at the college in Kamloops, B.C. for the last 10 years. Last year’s budget cuts “It’s one thing to be criticized m a public forum. It’s quite another to be fired” forced the college to increase Mac Kinnon’s class size from about forty to over one hun- dred students. He was fired December 11 and told to clear out his office by noon the next day, for continuing to criticize Cari- boo’s education policies after being warned to stop by the principal. He left right in the middle of exams. When the students in Mac- Kinnon’s second year psych class discovered their instruc- tor had been dismissed, they refused to submit their take- home exams. to the college, delivering them instead to a lawyer. For that, they lost 20 percent of their final grade. MacKinnon first came un- der fire last spring when he wrote a letter to the editor of The Kamloops News describ- ing the college as a ‘‘shoddy product (that is) getting worse each year.”’ The principal of Cariboo, Charles Brewster, took ex- ception to the letter and formally reprimanded Mac- Kinnon. When MacKinnon wrote a second letter, he was suspended without pay for three days. The faculty filed a grievance over the suspen- sion, but the non-binding de- cision reached by the medi- ator was heavily in favour of the college. MacKinnon was fired on the spot after he spoke to reporters about the decision, and issued a memo to depart- ment heads criticizing it. In his letter of dismissal, Brewster said MacKinnon’‘s behavior was ‘‘inappropriate, insubordinate, and defiant.’’ He added, ‘‘You (Mac- Kinnon) are being disruptive to the orderly running of the college and you are being openly defiant to the lawful authority of the college.”’ However, John Waters, president of the College and Institute Educators Associa- tion (an umbrella organiza- tion for 13 college faculty associations in B.C.) says Brewster is the person guilty by Karen Hooey Student Senate by-elections will be held on Thursday, January 23. Voting will be outside the upper cafeteria from 8am to 8pm. Running for Vice President: Jesse Sedhu Kenny Low Doug Leadly Paul Ehni position of Transfer Running -for University Representatives: Michael Booth Keith Wilson Warren Mickey Neil Burnett We interviewed Kenny Low and Paul Ehni. Unfortunately Doug Leadly and Jesse Sedhu did not return our calls or get in touch with us. Paul Ehni Paul Ehni, a Social Sciences /Humanities student in his second year at Douglas, is running for vice-president. Ehni’s involvement at Douglas has included serving as Vice-president of the Yeti Ski Club, and Features Co- ordinator at The Other Press. He also says he has gained a working knowledge of Student Senate affairs through regular attendance at Senate meet- ings, involvement in Famine Relief week, and working D.C.S.S. dances. He has also travelled through Asia as a youth am- bassador for Canada World Youth, and aquired leader- ship qualities through exper- ience in the Katimavik Program. Ehni would like to be D.C. S.S. Vice-president because. he feels he ‘‘can make a positive and substantial con- tribution to student life at Douglas.’’ He would like to see the activity room remain open, or increased as part of a of inappropriate behavior. “lf the college disagrees with a faculty member’s criti- cism, it can provide a public refutation, and can_ publicly criticize the faculty member, ’’ said Waters. ‘It’s one thing to be criti- cized in a public forum. It’s quite another to be fired,’’ he said. ‘‘If this decision is allowed to stand, then the rights of public employees and particularly teachers be seriously curtailed.’’ The faculty has filed a grievance over the dismissal, and attempted to resolve the matter at a formal hearing of the College Board—the first step in a grievance procedure. The board, however, refused to consider the faculty propos- al, which included a retraction by MacKinnon of the more provocative statements he made, and his full reinstate- ment. “Thajre all professional bureaucrats, paid to make us run around.” The psychology students plan to take the only internal protest open to them, and appeal their grades..But Matt Stables, one of the students, said they expect a runaround, so they have also looked into Your chance to vote full off-campus Student Cen- ter. He sees the chance for a Student Center as one of the major issues facing the Sen- ate this term. He is also for creating an emergency loan program through the Senate, to assist anyone with cash flow prob- lems while waiting for their Student Loan money to arrive. ‘‘1 also want. to encourage student involvement,’’ said Ehni, ‘‘including further sup- port ‘for clubs and organiz- ations such as DEISSA, the Marketing Club, the Jazz Band, the Ski Club, and the Humanities Institute, and en- courage the formation of other clubs.’’ Another area Ehni feels he could make a contribution is in ensuring ‘‘a close working relationship with off-campus student and youth organiz- ations.’ In conclusion, Ehni said, ‘I hope you, the students, will give me the chance to work with Michael Glavin, the D.C. S.S., and the entire student foe a a LO, oP Ci yy Graphic/Peak = court action. “They're all professional bureaucrats, paid to make us run around. So we've consid- ered our legal options,’’ said Stables. The Canadian Federation of Students (Pacific) and the Cariboo College Student Council have pledged moral and financial support for the protest. MacKinnon says he doesn’t regret his actions, although he would probably not be as provocative or negative if he were: to do it all again. He said he hopes the situation will cause people to take a closer look at education ‘’and Kenny Low Kenny Low, a_ business major is running for vice- president in the January 23 Douglas College Student So- ciety by-election. Low would support contin- ued Douglas participation in the Canadian Federation of Students. He would like to familiarize more students with the 500,000 member stu- dent lobby group and what it can do. ‘‘After all, C.F.S. can help all students, especially with discounts,’’ said Low, who added, ‘‘It’s also people helping people.’’ He is in favour of the student society obtaining off- campus premises and feels it should be nearby, as with most other institutions. Low is against the closing of the student activity room, calling it a ‘good place to relax.’’ He feels that other fad out: “things ae “as healthy as they first appear.’ He added the dismissal was completely unjustified, and will take it to court. ‘1 fail to see any logic or rationale for such action other than punative.’’ In spite of repeated at- tempts, -Brewster did not re- turn any calls. MacKinnon said he has recieved a lot of community support. ‘‘Il’ve had total strangers on the phone ex- pressing concern and outrage, and the letters to the editor have been overwhelmingly supportive. “’ space should be_ provided, saying ‘‘it’s better than sitting in the cafeteria drinking cof- fee and eating fries.’’ Low calls the lack of facil- itites at Douglas a good rea- son to continue with free student access to the Canada Games Pool. ‘‘The facilities here at the college are always crowded,’’ said Low, ‘‘and besides, there is the sauna, pool and hot tub, which we unfortunately do not have here.’’ He feels we should be “‘compatible’’ with other insti- tutions that have workout facilities. Low would also like to see more complete course offer- ings during the summer sem- ester. ‘‘Instead of being bored for four months, it would be good to pick up more courses,’ said Low, ‘“and finish schooling as soon as possible.’’ Low has experience as both secretary and treasurer, as corporal with the Saint Johns Ambulance brigade in Mal- aysia.