2008 Woodie Awards
News Briefs
AROUND WESTERN
Sexual Harassment Media Frenzy
A plethora of news articles appeared in the Statesman-Journal newspaper of Salem last week discussing sexual harassment issues at Western and other Oregon Universities.
A controversy has seemed to arise in the university community due to the upcoming return of veteran professor, Gary Welander, who was accused of sexual harassment by former student Rosemary Garcia.
Four months ago, Garcia filed a lawsuit for $12.6 million claiming Welander sexually harassed her. Welander claims the lawsuit is the result of a consensual relationship gone badly.
Welander plans to begin teaching at Western once again during the fall of 2005.
University President Philip Conn told the Statesman that he thought Welander’s dismissal was unjustified – Garcia’s complaint not being enough to prompt such action.
In addition, Conn believes that a complaint that Welander sexually abused a young girl in 1978 that surfaced in the media frenzy over Welander and Garcia, did not warrant the professor’s removal.
“It would not have been appropriate to try to discipline a person for something that happened 30 years ago,” he said.
Chimpanzee Adoption Fundraiser a success
A Western Primatology class earned over $300 in an effort to adopt and save the life of an orphan chimpanzee.
The 14 students of Anthropology 399 began their fundraising efforts approximately two weeks ago – through a gift basket raffle and a penny drive on campus.
“The fundraisers have been very successful,” said Heather Maxwell, Primatology student.
The cost to adopt an orphan chimpanzee through the Jane Goodall Institute, which the class was raising funds to do, is $100. With their efforts, the students have beaten their goal by far, said Maxwell.
AROUND THE STATE
Seven people died over Memorial Day weekend in car crashes, according to The Associated Press.
Officials said that the seven deadly accidents exceeded all of the traffic deaths during the same four-day period last year. According to the Oregon State Police,
There were three crashes in Eastern Oregon, one in Central Oregon, one in Portland, and one in Salem.
In addition, near Tillamook, Ore., a Honda Civic sedan collided with a log truck – smashing the small car and spilling logs all over the highway.
AROUND THE NATION
Ohio – Scott Moody, an 18-year-old who was about to graduate from high school, is believed to have shot his grandparents, mother and two family friends dead before killing himself, according to authorities.
According to Logan County Sheriff Michael Henry, the shootings were committed done early Sunday morning.
In addition, Moody’s younger sister, Stacy Moody, was wounded and is currently in critical condition.
“I’ve been doing this for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Logan County Sheriff’s Lt. Chuck Stout told The Associated Press.
People of the community of 13,000 drifted in and out of the sheriff’s office, hugging and crying, throughout the afternoon of the shooting.
“Dealing with a small community like this, everyone knows everyone,” the sheriff said.
While Henry said he doesn’t know why Moody committed the heinous crimes, he said, “we’re going to try” and find out the reasoning.
AROUND THE WORLD
Pakistan – Pakistan’s president said on May 31 that he will hand over senior al-Qaida terrorist suspect, Abu Farraj al-Libbi to the United States for prosecution.
According to The Associated Press, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said al-Libbi was cooperating but did not provide any useful information on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden – thus providing no interest to keep him.
Al-Libbi was arrested on May 2 after a shootout in Northwestern Pakistan.
It has not been decided when al-Libbi will be turned over, or where he is being held at currently.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said while the U.S. government has been discussing al-Libbi with Pakistan, there has been no decision on his extradition. “As far as where ultimately he ends up for trial or custody remains a question,” he said.