OMAS: Administration confident in policy
Continued from page 1
registration process and believed that
the program discriminated against
white students who are not of Hispan
ic origin,” the letter states. “The stu
dent did not file a complaint, but
spoke to a reporter for the student
newspaper. When the University ad
ministration learned of her allegation
that students were excluded from sec
tions or disadvantaged in enrollment
based on race, we reviewed the prac
tices that applied to these sections. ”
The Emerald first wrote about the
policy after former University student
Stephanie Ramey told the Emerald she
was denied access to an OMAS class.
After the first article, former stu
dent Melissa Hanks, who graduated
from the University and is now study
ing at Oregon State University, filed a
complaint with the University’s Bias
Response Team, and then with the
Office for Civil Rights, prompting the
federal government investigation.
Grier, when asked whether the
administration had concerns that
the previous policy was illegal,
wrote in an e-mail that “the change
in the requirements was prompted
by a concern that the requirements
were not, on balance, as broad as
the University wanted them to be.”
She wrote that the University tries
to find a balance between the needs
of students who may benefit from a
priority pre-authorization policy and
those who may want to access a
class but may not qualify for priority
pre-authorization.
“We believe the new policy pro
vides a better balance between those
competing interests,” Grier wrote.
Grier, when asked why the Univer
sity didn’t conduct a public comment
session or attempt to gather stu
dents’ opinions, wrote that “this is
a program based on academic and
pedagogical needs.”
“Although we appreciate that indi
vidual students may have personal
perspectives they would have liked to
express about the program, this is the
type of administrative decision that is
made based on other factors,” Grier
wrote. “Further, the decision needed
to be made as quickly as possible so
that the changes would be in place
for the upcoming academic year.”
The administration is confident
the new policy is “fully consistent
with the law,” Grier wrote. “We
cannot know if the Office for Civil
Rights will agree until we receive
their response.”
Contact the news editor at
jpaben@ daily emerald, com
Trial: UO electrician says she was harassed
Continued from page 1
time Boynton-Burns worked for the
University, she was the only female
electrician and the only apprentice
employed at the University’s Physical
Plant, Force said.
According to the appeals court
judge’s opinion, Boynton-Burns told
the court the following occurred:
Boynton-Bums began having prob
lems with her supervisor shortly af
ter beginning work at the University.
Her supervisor consistently refused
to sign progress reports that were crit
ical to Boynton-Burns’ completion of
the program.
In addition, he yelled and berated
her on numerous occasions.
He also wouldn’t accommodate her
work schedule for childcare needs;
however, he granted similar accom
modations to a male employee.
Boynton-Burns complained about
her supervisor several times while
working for the University. She
complained to her supervisor’s
boss, who told her that he couldn’t
help and that she would lose her job
if she continued to complain about
her immediate supervisor.
In 1999, Boynton-Burns met with
the manager of the department and
asked him to investigate her supervi
sor’s repeated discrimination. He re
fused and insisted that Boynton
Burns did not have “the right to fight
discrimination” because she was
considered a temporary employee.
Force said in an interview that
Boynton-Burns also met with the
University Affirmative Action office,
but after complaining to the office,
“the situation got a whole lot worse. ”
Boynton-Burns was verbally ha
rassed, denied work and threatened
with discharge, he said.
In February 1999, Boynton-Burns
completed her apprenticeship and
became a journeyman electrician.
Three months later, the University
laid off Boynton-Burns “due to lack of
work due to the end of her internship,”
the court opinion stated.
Contact the crime, health
and safety reporter at
kgagnon@ daily emerald, com
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