Morris Dees is a hated man who defends victims of hate crimes. Controversy follows the civil rights lawyer, who has taken on groups from the Ku Klux Klan and the White Aryan Resistance to the Armed Services and militia move- ments Ð and won. In 1981, Dees, co-founder and chief trial counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center, set legal precedent when he won a $7 million judgment against the Klan for inciting violence. Recently, the SPLC launched a Teaching Tolerance project to develop and distribute educational materials to promote tolerance among students. Thanks to the Missouri Residential Colleges, Dees will bring this message to campus on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. in Baldwin Auditorium.
College students across the country have heard Dees' message. In the Kansas State University Collegian, he said "Unfortunately, America is deeply divided in many ways. We are divided along class lines, economic lines, lines of sexual orientation and somewhat political lines. But in no area of our life do we have a deeper division than along racial lines."
The Missouri Residential Colleges have arranged Dees' visit to campus. Organizers are encouraging the campus and Kirksville communities to attend the Teaching Tolerance presentation, in which Dees will explore the dangers to our society represented by the rise of white supremacist groups and anti- government militias.
Mark Dalhouse, assistant professor in the Missouri Residential Colleges, believes Dees' presentation will reinforce the liberal arts mission of the University.
"This is part of an on-going effort to encourage students to think critically. Truman students need to understand and be aware that the evils of racism and intolerance are still very much at work in our society," Dalhouse said.
An Alabama native, Dees received his bachelor's and juris doctorate degrees from the University of Alabama. Dees' founding of the SPLC in 1971 resulted from a decade of concern about civil rights in the South. The non-profit law center specializes in lawsuits involving civil-rights violations and racially motivated crimes. In 1981, Dees organized an SPLC program called Klanwatch, to combat organized racist activity through private lawsuits and the dissemination of information. He currently heads the SPLC's Militia Task Force.
On a book tour of his latest work, The Gathering Storm: America's Militia Threat, Dees warned of the dangers of America's growing militia movement. "The threat from militia and patriot groups is much bigger than we think, Dees said. But the government hasn't taken such groups seriously until lately, he complains, and still has a long way to go. His pleas to enforce state laws against paramilitary groups have been met, for the most part, with disinterest by state law-enforcement officials," wrote The Seattle Times.
Not everyone takes Dees' warnings lightly. Six months before the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, Dees warned Attorney General Janet Reno about the growing danger of the militia movement. He continues to monitor the more than 400 militias that his group has identified.
In addition to The Gathering Storm, Dees has authored A Season for Justice and Hate on Trial. His cases were the subjects of an NBC- TV movie of the week, Line of Fire, and a Bill Moyers PBS-TV special. He has received the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, the Roger Baldwin Award from the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award from the National Education Association.
Faculty and staff are making a difference again this year by contributing to the Truman State University Foundation through the annual Faculty and Staff Campaign. The campaign is one component of the Annual Fund which provides support to many initiatives funded through the Foundation, including scholarships, divisional/area funds, faculty development activities and the Lyceum Series, to name a few. The campaign is representative of William Butler YeatsÕ quote and the 1997 Annual Fund theme: ÒEducation is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.Ó
Faculty and staff continue to move closer to the campaignÕs overall goal and to surpassing last yearÕs record breaking 55 percent participation rate. The official drive ends March 1. The strong participation of our faculty and staff sends a clear message of commitment to our friends and potential benefactors. Gifts may be turned in to the Alumni/ Development Office, McClain Hall 100, or area coordinators.
The Board of Governors approved a slight tuition increase at their meeting Feb. 8 on campus.
The Board approved a 3 percent tuition increase, resulting in a change in cost from $3,008 to $3,096 for in-state students. The Board also approved a 4.9 percent room and board increase.
The Board also approved the purchase of a transmitter for KNEU, the student radio station. The transmitter tower, to be constructed south of campus, will play alternative commercial-free music. The Board approved spending up to $100,000 for the tower; the cost includes the tower, the transmitter from the tower to the station and studio equipment. KNEU is still waiting for final broadcasting approval from the FCC.
Other Board action included approval of resurfacing several of the campus tennis courts.
Wilma Maddox (center) was elected president of the Board of Governors Feb. 8. Maddox, of Macon, Mo., is a 1979 graduate of Truman. Dorothy Munch (left), a 1981 Truman graduate, of Williamsville, Mo., was elected vice president, and Ruth Mach, (right), a 1958 Truman graduate, of Clayton, Mo., was elected secretary.
Cadet Colleen Meyer, a senior biology major from St. Louis, was recently selected as the most outstanding ROTC cadet senior at Truman State University. As a result of her selection, Meyer will receive the prestigious George C. Marshall ROTC Award and attend the George C. Marshall National Security Seminar from April 15 to 18 at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va.
This year the seminar marks the 20th anniversary of the Marshall Seminar as well as the 50th anniversary of what has become known as the ÒMarshall Plan Speech.Ó This speech delivered at Harvard University on June 5, 1947, outlined the plan to rebuild war-torn Europe.
The award, named after the famous World War II general and post-war diplomat, is presented yearly to the top senior cadet at each ROTC battalion. Meyer will join 300 other distinguished ROTC cadets from universities across the country.
At the seminar, she will also be presented a certificate designating her as Truman State University's George C. Marshall ROTC winner and a copy of Forrest Pogue's biography of the Marshall.
Meyer, a three-year ROTC scholarship recipient, was selected as best ROTC cadet at Truman based on a number of criteria including her ranking on the battalion's Order of Merit list (as determined by the professor of military science), cumulative GPA, demonstrated leadership skills and extracurricular activities. She was captain of the Ranger Challenge Team that placed second out of 19 teams from Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas at the brigade competition.
The Missouri Collegiate Entre- preneur Contest recognizes student entrepreneurs who run a business while attending a Missouri college, university or post-secondary institution. The scholarship is unique because it awards the nominator $500, as well as the winner.
Bright Flight checks are in.To sign for a check, bring a picture ID to the Cashier's Window. The Registrar's Office and Cashier's Window may be closed periodically during the week of Feb. 17-21 for CARS training. Please check the notice outside of each office for its availability during the week.
Ryle North Residential College and the Division of Fine Arts present, "The Art Stops Here: Fifteen Works by Truman State University Students." The show will be displayed in the Ryle Hall main lounge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 17 through 21. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. is hosting Tuesday Treats, a fund- raising bake sale, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 18 and 25 in McClain Hall.
The International Center for the Advancement of Political Commun- ication and Argumentation is having an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at 202 W. Patterson. "Your Personality Revealed" will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in Ryle Hall main lounge. The program will illustrate how shape identification, birth order and other games and tests can reveal various personal- ities.
The Transcendental Meditation Club is having an introductory lecture and organization meeting at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 20 in the SUB Governors' Room.
SAB and the Lifestyle Advocacy Program is hosting an AIDS Memorial Quilt panel-making workshop from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 22 in Baldwin Hall 303. Participants need to bring their own material. Call Susan Shoaff- Ballanger at 785-4426 for more details.
Psi Chi is hosting its Second Annual Psychology Conference from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 22 in Ophelia Parrish 300. The conference will feature inter- disciplinary student research presentations related to psychology, a keynote speaker who is an educational psychologist, along with a faculty and graduate panel discussion.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, sponsored by the Accounting Club, will be Feb. 22, March 15, March 22 and April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Barnett 202C. Participants should bring their W-2s and 1099s and a copy of last year's tax return.
There will be a Sadie Hawkins Dance from 8 to 11 p.m. Feb. 22 in the SUB Down Under. Admission is $1 per person or $1.50 per couple. All proceeds go to the Victim Support Services, Inc.
More than 90 companies are attending Career Expo '97 from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Student Union. Students are invited to bring their resumes to the Career Center ahead of time for editing. For more information, contact Susan Job at 785-4353.
Psychology Club is having an open meeting to discuss stress management and reduction at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in Ophelia Parrish 117.
Frank Settle, Virginia Military Institute professor emeritus, will present two presentations on campus Feb. 26 about atomic bombs. The first talk, "The Chemistry of the Atomic Bombs," is designed for a science audience and will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the SUB Alumni Room. The second discussion, "The Manhattan Project: The Birth of Big Science in the United States," is designed for the general public and will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in the SUB Georgian Room
Donald Asher will present "Graduate School? How to Gain Admission to Highly Competitive Graduate Schools" at 4 p.m. Feb. 26 in Science Hall 274. Asher will also be the guest lecturer for the Faculty Development Luncheon Series on Feb. 26 at 12:30 p.m., SUB Georgian Room.
"Life in a Commune," a discussion about international communities, will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 26 in the SUB Activities Room.
The Scholastic Enhancement Experience seeks four students to serve as student program coor- dinators for the residential scholar program for students of color from June 23 to July 25. Job descriptions and applications are available in the Multicultural Affairs Center, Adair Building. Deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 28.
The 1997 Truman State University Undergraduate Research Symposium is scheduled for March 14. Contact David Lesczynski at 785-4411 for more information.
Applications are available for hired tutoring positions at the Multicultural Affairs Center. For more information, call the Center at 785-4142.
Female artists or male artists representing female subjects are asked to submit ready-to-hang or display art for the Women's Art Show to the Wooden Nickle the week of March 10-15. There will be a reception the following week. For more information, call Cheryl at 627-5826.
The Women's Resource Center is hosting a poetry night, March 19, and a music night, March 20, from 7:30-10 p.m. in the SUB Down Under and need performers. Women are needed to perform either night. For more information, contact Cheryl at 627-5826.