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WSVI ar 1
Vol 65. No 17 LouiSVIlle. Kentucky January 21, 1993 12 Pages An Independent Student Newspaper Free
Student sues University and 32 individuals
By Loraine Lawson
Staff WrilCI'
In a complaint heavy with accusa­tions
of unfair treatment toward Afri­can-
Americans, Herben Henry sued the
University of Louisville and at least 32
individuals involved with the Univer­sity
for negligence.
The 20-year-old student filed the suit
Jan. 15,justtwodaysbeforeJan. 17, the
date on which Henry was shot at a Red
Bam dance in 1992. By Kentucky'sstat­ute
of limitations law, Henry had a year
aflCI' the incident 10 file suit.
In a phone interview, Henry said he
tried to negotiate with the University as
long as possible.
"The University didn'tcome up with
any money," Herb said.
"Not a dime."
Joseph White,
But that, he said, is not the
thrust of the suit.
"We don't wish to make
the University in10 the evil
empire," White said. "The
purpose of this is that we
believe that things that
should've been done were
not done by those in author­ity
and he shouldn't be left
to charity. We're trying to
recover restitution that will
stop activities that resulted in harm to"
Henry.
White declined to elaborate upon
details about the case, saying he did not
wish to try the case through the media
Among those named in the suit are:
Henry's attorney, said
testimony given during
the trial of the Indianapo­lis
man who shot Henry,
as well as people inter­viewed
by White, indi­cate
that complaints were
made 10 University offi­cials
about security at Af­rican-
American events
prior to the shOOling. The
suitalleges that "African-
'-""'.;...:..:..""---:-~:-:-:~ allow him to cope with his
HENRY disability in the future."
University President Donald Swain, Dan
Keller, director of the Department of
Public Safety, Larry Owsley. vice presi­dent
for administration, Football Coach
Howard Schnellenberger and the cur­rent
Board of Trustees, including Stu­dentGovemmcntPrcsidentJirn
Howard.
The suit excludes Dale Billingsley. the
current faculty representative on the
American students were as a matter of
cus10m and policy regularly discrimi­nated
against by defendants," a claim
White said stems from those statements.
The suit says University
security officers were aware of confron­tations
before Henry arrived at the Janu­ary
dance, but "failed 10 take the neces­sary
and reasonable steps to prevent or
See HENRY
Page 3
Martin Luther King's niece says his
dream of love 'not yet manifested'
By George Wilson
SWTWriu:r
As James Pin keriOn filled the Red Bam with light
piano jazz, a diverse crowd of about 150 people took
shelter from the cold 10 hear AI veda King Bcal speak
about her uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thai day,
Jan. 18, honored King's 64th birthday.
While the crowd was entertained with jazz from
the Athletic Academic Advising Center and other
pcrfonners, most people came 10 hear Bcal speak
about King and his message. Bcal referred 10 King as
a prophet
"I began 10 realize the prophetic magnitude of
whathewassayingwhenhewouldsayiOietfrcedom
ring," Beal said. "He was really seeing us corning
IOgether as people and being able 10 do things and
share things 10gether."
not hate each other, and that we will not fight each
other. And that this will not be mandated by law, but
by the stirrings of our own hcarlS."
Bea1 constantly emphasized King's devotion to
God, whom sheealled thesourceofKing'smcssage.
It was from this divine source that King found the
chief weapon that he used 10 pursue his struggle.
"Love is the primary weapon he used against the
evils of society," she said. "And it was the primary
focus of his ministry. Martin Luther King was cer­tainly
a man who was willing 10 serve God. He was
willing 10 not put himself second or third 10God but
lasl."
Beal compared a fragment of one of King's
speeches 10 fragments of the Emancipation Procla­mation,
written by Abraham Lincoln, the Gospel of
Luke, and the Book of Exodus from the Old Testa­ment
All of the passages made the same point- that
people are equal regardless of race or ethnicity.
Sheemphasizeda point that King made during his
ministry, that people comprise a human family.
Photo by Chara Gail
MARTIN LUTHER KING HONORED: King's niece
speaks before students and staff In Red Barn Monday.
While Bcal said she is proud of the progress the
world has made since King's death in matters of
racism and hatred, she said that King's dream is not
a reality yet
"But there is something else that he saw that has
not yet manifested itself," she said. "That is that we
See OVER,
PageS
Physical Plant employee
helps less fortunate with trash
By Jonathan Baize
Staff Writer
We have all heard the parable about the good
Samaritan, but have you heard the one about the
good custodian? Almost everyone has seen him
at one time or another, working his way across
campus, pushing the carl full of treasures he has
made from other people's garbage.
U of L's "good" custodian is Lee Meredith, a
janitor for the campus Physical Plant. However,
he is probably beucr recognized by students as
the man with the sack-ladened grocery carl and
the Harpo Marx hom.
blessing from God. Give from your hean, expect
nothing in return."
Meredith says this altitude is natural because
what he receives from the people he helps is
worth more 10 him than money.
"Money means nothing to me. Money is evil,"
he said. "Money can't buy me friendship, it can't
buy me love. I see people along here, people like
me. They have nothing, they have no home.llake
them to my house and share a meal with them.lf
they have no shoes or clothes I give to them."
Meredith has been a janitor at U of L for 17
years and said that it is the greatest job he could
have.
"I'm a janitor . . . I love it," Meredith said.
SGA may pinch
penni•e s m• spri• ng
By Jonathan Baize
Staff Writer
A drop in enrollment this semes­ter
at the University of Louisville
may mean a drop in funds for the
University's Student Government
Association. Fewer students enrolled
mcansthatmoncy given 10SGA from
over-realized funds from the student
activity fund may not be available.
Denise Gifford, director of Stu­dent
Life, said that the existence of
over-rcali7MI funds depends on the
amount of money expected from the
student activity fund, which in tum
depends on projected student enroll­ment.
"Over-realization of funds has 10
do with the number of students en­rolled,"
Gifford said. "If the number
of students enrolled exceeds the num­ber
we budgeted for, there will be
over-realized funds ."
Since each student pays an activ­ity
fee as pan of tuition, the more
students that enroll over the number
expected, the more funds that will be
available for SGA. However, Diane
Sharp of Student Affairs said that the
drop in enrollment means that it is
unlikely there will beanyextra funds.
"Enrollment has dropped and there
will be fewer funds allocated for the
student activity fund," Sharp said.
"Thankfully. we budgeted conserva­tively,
so we hope 10 make budget."
Sharp added that in recent years
the budget had already been used by
this Lime, and over-realized funds
made available.
"Usually by this time of the year
we've already made budget and al­ready
haveover-realized funds," she
said. "But this year we haven't even
Major SGA Budget
expenditures
Student Activities
Board ............... $123,948
SGACentral
Administration .. .. $39,962
Student Senate .. $42,719
Student Legal
Services ............. $16,678
Graduate School $11,908
Medical School ... $11 ,652
Speed ................ $11,573
Student Bar
Association .... .... ... $9.41 5
All figures are for 1992-93 academoc
year Figures indude funds mari<ed
for possoble budget cuts.
made budget yet."
SGA President Jim Howard said
that the over-realized funds greatly
benefited SGA in the past.
'"The over -realized funds are based
on the fall semester," Howard said.
"We get a budget based on the num­ber
of students we will have, plus the
extra funds. I think in 1991 we re­ceived
$19,000, and when we had
really peak enrollment in 1992 we
received about$2A,OOO. Having fewer
students this semester means we
won't be getting that kind of money."
While Howard said that the SGA
looks forward to getting the extra
SceSGA
Page5
Students offered tips
on what to seek in
health insurance
By Renita Edwards
SWTWri1er
Searching for a health insurance policy can be
difficult because so many arc available and they
offer a variety of services. But it is even more
difficult if students can't decipher the fme print
There are guidelines, however, 10 follow in
choosing a policy. For starters, recognize the two
basic types of plans available, and then examine
the specifics of the plans.
A "traditional plan" pays for major illnesses
and surgeries, but not routine health problems such
as treatment of the common cold. A "health main­tenance
organi7.ation plan" (HMO) entitles mem­bers
10 services of participating physicians, hospi­tals,
and clinics. The HMO plans will more likely
pay for both major illnesses and preventative care.
However, lhcsc plans frequently entail a much
higher premium.
He walks around campus and through the
neighborhoods on the way to his home on Third
Street, seeking out valuable items people have
thrown away. On any given day Meredith may be
sporting a number of rare articles he has found in
the trash, not the least of which are a pair of
practically new work boots and an 18-inch gold
herring bone necklace.
Meredith is quick 10 point out that there is a
higher purpose 10 his search than just fascination.
The things that he finds in the garbage he takes
home, repairs and then offers them 10 people less
fonunate than he.
"There are a lot of good people and good stu­dents.
I came here from the worst place in the
world,: the Bronx. Here there are good people, I
haveagoodjobandagood future. This is the best
place I will ever live."
Born in Ponce, Pueno Rico, Meredith came 10
the United States in 1951. He lived in New York
untill969, when he came Louisville.
Pholo by Harry Sanders
ONE MAN'S TRASH: Lee Meredith cleans the campus before the sun comes up and
sifts through the campus trash when the sun goes down.
David Kelty. administrator of the University of
Louisville insurance program, explained the most
common Lechnieal tenns found in both policies.
Of course the term beginners learn fli'St is
"premium," which is how much the policy holder
pays 10 have the insurance. Kelty said women
generally pay a higher premium than their male
counl.Crpans.
"If I meet people and they have no money I
help them," he said. "I give away clothes. I have
a bunch of clothes at my house. If anyone needs
clothes, they just let me know.! give away things
because when you give from your hean you get
"I have a cousin who lives here and she asked me
if I wanted 10 come visit her for a month," he said.
''That was in 19@, I have been here ever since."
Meredith said that he got his job afl.Cr being
referred by a friend. Iris Boyd, Meredith's super­visor,
is very glad he got the job.
"He's a very conscientious and friendly
worker," Boyd said. "He's always on time and
ready10work. We'relucky to have someone like
Lee. He is just a very nice individual and every­one
likes him."
Meredith's punctuality is a credit to him,
ince he works a shift from 4:00 a.m. 10 noon,
getting up at a time when most of the students he
is so fond of are just going 10 bed. But it is what
he docs after work that makes him stand out on
campus.
"He walks around with his little can that he
calls 'The Pink Cadillac'," Boyd said. "He's
fascinated by the things that people throw away."
Along with helping those in need Meredith is
happily offers his own solution 10 the problems of
the world. From the small world surrounding his
See JANITOR
Page2
ACCESSIBILITY
"Women generally pay more because they are
able 10 have children," Kelty said. "And statisti-
See STUDENTS
Page 3
Lady Cards end
three-game losing
streak by trashing
South Florida.
Bikes parked on ramps causes problems for handicapped
See story, page 8
News brief --- 5
Ans ------ 6
Spons 8
Edltorlala 1 0
Comlca 11
Classified Ads ---12
By Becky Shultz
Conlributing Writer
Students parking their bikes on the handrails of
handicap ramps should beware; parking in these
easy-access pots may bring harsher punishments
than the u ual warning note the Department of
Public Safety leaves behind.
Kathy Patus, coordina10r of the Disability Re­source
Cenl.Cr at U of L, said the warning note may
be replaced with something more harsh.
"We may have 10 come up with another solution
to the problem," Patu said. "One thing that has
been mentioned i the po ibility of impounding
bikes."
Bicycles are suppose 10 be parked at concrete
bike rack located throughout campus. However,
the concrete racks are low 10 the ground, making it
impo ible for bikers with cenain lock 10 secure
their bikes properly.
Jay Kidd, a senior English major and amateur
bicycle racer, said "U locks" could be used 10 keep
bikes safe from thieves, but the locks do not fit the
University bike racks.
"The problem with the concrete rack is it only
allows you 10 lock in your front wheel," Kidd said.
"With nicer bikes, the front wheel comes ofT with
a quick release and you can snap that and the bike
is gone."
Still, Kidd recommended the U locks over a
cable, because the U locks are generally safer and
carry a money back guarantee if the bike is stolen.
"The sman bike user will get aU lock if he wants
to protect his investment," Kidd said.
Phy ieal Plant had stenciled "NO BIKES" on
these handrails last year. Though that helped for a
while, according to Paw , the stenciling has worn
off.
Lieutenant Tom Fitzgerald of DPS said that his
office has only received a couple of complaints
from tudents in the last six months but that DPS is
aware of the problem.
"The problem with the concrete
rack is it only allows you to lock
in your front wheel."
-Jay Kidd
Senior English major
When a report is filed, Fitzgcr.lld said, DPS
sends someone over 10 try and find out who tltc
owner of the bike is and tells the ownerface to face
that it caused a problem. When the owner isn't
found, the officer leaves a note on the bike.
Fitzgerald wa n 't sure how often DPS can reach the
owner of the bike.
"I know at least in one of the cases the officers
were succe sful in finding out who theownerofthe
bike was," Fitzgerald said. "Stnce the bicycles
have no identification, the problem is connecting a
bicycle with its owner. We have been putting
warnings on the bikes that they are illegally
parked."
Paws does not believe students are acting
deliberately malicious when they park their bikes
on the ramps.
"I think it's unintentional," she said, "I don't
think the tudents realize that what they'redoing
is blocking someone's access."
Katherine Amos, assistant vice president for
Student Life and Development, is frustrated by
the misuse of the ramps.
"We'reon campus trying 10 make every build­ing
as accessible as possible; that one thing can
malce it inaccessible, even if there's a ramp,"
Amos said. "It's not only a problem for people in
wheelchairs. It's a problem for anybody that has
a walking disorder. If they're on crutches or they
See DISABLED
Page 5