The Prospector (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 68, Ed. 1 Tuesday, April 18, 1978 Page: 1 of 12
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ospector
1
Tuesday
April 18, 1978
Vol. 44, No. 68
The University of Texas at El Paso
Students find sunlight during campus blackout.
by Rick DeReyes
Voting
supplement
Power fails; darkness prevails
Department attacks administration
Maybe some of them were outside
on the grounds, she says, but
they met.
Her office, she says, was kept
busy working by candlelight
during the day, helping students
on what was the last day to drop
courses.
Classes also met in Graham
Hall and the Special Events
Center. A secretary at the center,
In case you I’ve forgotten, student government elections
will take place Thursday and Friday and ballot boxes will
be available in 303 E. Union, the nursing school, the
physical science building and the Fine Arts complex.
Inside this issue, we’ve put together a special supplement
just for you. Take it out and read it. Study it. And don’t
forget to vote.
And because air conditioning
was out, he adds, it became hot
and muggy in the work area,
Special
Collections
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Archives
operations at 1:30 p.m.
One by one, Obenour says,
buildings on campus had their
power restored as electricians
worked through the day.
The last was the Union
receiving electricity at 4:15 p.m.
Cafeteria in the afternoon.
A.K.Rahman, Union Food
Service manager, says "business
was bad."
Employees struggled by with
candlelight to get some work
done and serve as many persons
as possible.
All the cafeteria was able to
sell on Friday was coffee and
soft drinks.
needed to build a foundation for communication between
the department and the administration.
Davis expressed hope that both parties might work out
accommodations onboth sides,explaining! that neither side
will win a total victory.
Luis Natalicio, associate professor, said he was "shocked"
when Beasley described himself as surprised about The
Prospector's article concerning the protest.
Natalicio disclosed that the administration had met with
the department before the March 27 meeting individually or
collectively for more than 14 hours, but the administration
seemed to deny there was a problem.
Natalicio added he didn't want to speculate about it, but
pointed out that the administration would like to create
dissension within the deptartment.
"We have never asked anything from the administration
other than assurances that the departmental prerogatives will
be taken into consideration," Natalicio said.
On March 27, Vice President Beasley met with the teachers
and the executive committee. Afterward, several
departmental members expressed the feeling that only a
stalemate had been reached.
Davis said the meeting "involved the idea that the buck
stops somewhere." Davis again pointed out that there has to
be a compromise between the administration and the
department, adding that all the issues were discussed at the
meeting, and the vice president attempted to give reasons for
his past decisions.
Individuals in a position of authority, Davis said, have
reasons for decisions they make, but added that there always
will be some in opposition who do not want to make any
concessions.
He summarized the situation saying, "There hasn't been
prompt and accurate information fed back at many times."
Robert Slettedahl, associate professor of educational
psychology and guidance, pointed out that in light of recent
developments, interdepartmental communication has been
very good.
"We've been responsible, and we've followed all the
guidelines and procedures in making the recommendations,"
Slettedahl said, "but not much headway has been made in
the last four week s."
Associate professor Bonnie Brooks reported that nothing
was achieved at the meeting, adding that "specific issues were
discussed, but nothing on the basic issue of departmental
priority."
On the other hand, Beasley again answered that he was not
at liberty to discuss personnel matters, but added, "All I can
shutdown in
forcing a
say is that the meetings were fruitful."
In another development. The Prospector learned that the
conflict might not stem only from a question of
departmental priority, but one which involves the
administration stepping into the middle of a squabble between
two branches of the educational psychology and guidance
department.
The problem apparently began when the department’s
executive committee refused tenure and a merit raise to one
of its teachers. The administration also reportedly ignored
the department in its hiring recommendation of another
teacher.
The teachers involved are part of a program within the
educational psychology and guidance department and have
not been included in much of the department's
communication.
When asked about the department's refusal to grant tenure
and a merit raise to one of its teachers, Brooks responded
that the teacher had been evaluated according to
"departmental guidelines" and was found to be ineligible for
both categories.
As for the department's protest, a letter has been
forwarded to the UT System Board of Regents and the
American Association of University Professors. It assesses the
department's situation with the administration.
who wished anonymity, says
classes at the center, which
usually begin at 9 a.m., began at
noon. And a source in Graham
Hall said," "(A) we lost
electricity, (B) we've got it back
on, and (C) Thanks a lot but
we're doing fine."
The Union fared the worst.
The Bookstore had to be
closed as well as the Union
After a series of interdepartmental meetings and another
meeting with Kennrth E. Beasley,, vice president for academic
affairs, the educational psychology and guidance department
has decided to continue its protest to the UT System Board
of Regents and the American Association of University
Professors.
The protest involves a dispute between the department and
the administration over merit, tenure and hiring
recommendat ions.
Bonnie Brooks, associate professor of educational
psychology and guidance and spokesperson for her
department's executive committee, said the department
received a letter from Beasley on March 9 expressing surprise
about the upcoming protest.
In his letter Beasley further mentioned that he had agreed
in an earlier summer meeting to continue discussions with the
department. The vice president then requested a meeting
between himself and the departmental members at a
proposed time, which later was set for March 27.
Beasley told The Prospector that he had been in Kansas on
a business trip and was surprised when he read its story about
the protest. He later contacted the department to meet with
its faculty and discuss the problem.
At that time, the vice president said he would not
comment on the upcoming meeting because it involved
"internal matters," saying, "I cannot talk about personnel
problems to protect their privacy...by law, I have to protect
their privacy."
Referring to the department's previous complaint, Norma
Hernandez, education college dean, said she did not think
there was a communication gap between the educational
psychology and guidance department and the administration.
At the time she said, "We're still in the talking stage."
In a later development, Beasley reportedly told the
department he would present "different materials" for
discussion at the meeting, but would not identify those
materials.
Brooks said she was "personally discouraged" that the vice
president was aware of the department's protested
announcement at the February Faculty Senate meeting and
responded only after he read The Prospector article
concerning the protest. This happened, Brooks said, even
after the president of the University, Arleigh B. Templeton,
discussed the matter with him.
Everett Davis, educational psychology and guidance
department chairman, asserted that several meetings are
For the second time this
school year, parts of the
University were left in the dark.
In September 1977 a
transformer blew out in the
Special Events Center.
Charles Cantrell, Physical
Plant director, says this time the
culprit was a faulty cable in the
transformer vault in the Union.
Feeder two blew at 8:45 a.m.
Friday morning, leaving five
buildings on campus without
electricity.
Feeder two is one of four
14,400-volt feeder distribution
systems, says Bill Obenour,
physical plant assistant director.
This feeder connects
approximately one-fourth of the
campus.
"When one feeder blows,"
Obenour says, "the whole
campus does not lose power."
Richard Saucedo, work-study
student in the Education
Building1, notes there were no
morning classes in the building
after the electricity died,
although many students mulled
outside the building.
In the Engineering-Science
Complex, Anne Childress, civil
engineering senior secretary, says
as far as she knows classes met
durin the day in the building.
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University of Texas at El Paso. The Prospector (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 68, Ed. 1 Tuesday, April 18, 1978, newspaper, April 18, 1978; El Paso, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1621029/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting University of Texas at El Paso.