Ombudsman Cites Other Violations

II. 11(111 I M AN/ Despite questions iboul his commitment to affirmative action, La* School Dean James I reedman's appointment lo the University oi Iowa presidency has mei with ap proval Irom ihal school's faculty and student body I he questions were raised in the August 2r> issue oi Ihv /A///i loinin, the l niversil) ol Iowastudent newspaper, which pinned an analysis ol Freedman's affirmative at lion record ai the University during his two and one hall veai term as I aw School dean. smong othei items, the article cited the decline in the percentage ol minoritj students enrolled ai ihe I ass School duruiy I icedinan's icrni. hi* dispute Ol the ' " .i lo instil • i.iiisiaction guidelines wl.er .onsiu.'rmg lass 4,'hool IK 11.in..non. and ihe absence >i any tenured black oi lemale members of ihe I a« School (acuity. However, student leaders ai ihe University ol Iowa have adopted a "concerned but not panicking" posture in response to the analysis ol Frecdman's record. ■Tin VST) concerned aboui ihe allegations that were made " Iowa Student Senate President rim Dickson said Monday. "'This university has a vet) strong tradition in the area ol human rights and affirmative action, lint I think thai responsible reaction in this situation would be 10 lurlhei Study the case We have 10 judge a nelson on his merits, and I think we should wait and see whal hap pens when he gets here." I reedman resigned Irom the I aw School dcanship on July .'I. and is expected to assume his new position around March 'I oi next year. He will succeed vtiiiard H.mi. »IH> left io»a alter 12 seals to become director ol the I icld Museum ol National History in t hicago Dickson called I reedman a "candid and open" man. and said the student bods was very impressed with Freedman's credentials during the presidential search "We were looking tor the same type m person .1Hosd." he said "I reedman's experience as ombudsman at Perm will help him to institute our new academic gricvanci procedures, and he also has ihe experience 10 handle this university's S2J million dollat budget \s fat as affirmative action goes, I fed he will .1" .^ well il not better than President Bovd Ion Kroehling, president oi Iowa's Lollcgiau Associates < ouncil, an undergraduate croup which deals B> PFIFKt SMI I OS Ihe Physical Plant Department violated University hiring policies in iwo specific cases last sen. but i~ not guilty ol racial bias in hit ing decision.. according to ihe results "i an investigation by Ombudsman lohn Keene Ihe Investigation also found thai "many employees do not have con fidence that ihe 1 niversity's personnel procedures, especially in the an affirmative action, have been vigorously jitJ fairly implemented In u punted response fo ihe Qn dings. President Sheldon Hackney yesterday promised to ordet new I s ecutive Vice President Edward Jordar 10 personally oversee .1 review ol the I niversity's non-faculty grievance procedures. Hackney also asked \ffirrhative \. lion Director D.ivula Kamcv 10 pro pose '.i program ol education ■imi in. formation roi supervisors and employees aboui out personnel policies." Keene's investigation was ordered last spring bv Hackney aftet five black workers, led by supervisot Dajticl Helton, filed .1 complaint with ihe I .S Department ol I abot accusing Physical Plant ol "repeated .i>ts ol racial discrimination " Helton, who has not yet seen the punted results ol the investigation, said yesterday iii.n "ti thev deny that there is discrimination, I am very distuibcil l'v< been here 10 see the situation ir.vNeii Keene said yesterday thai three ol the live workers complained ol specific incidents ol hiring discrimini lion against ihcni and that ihe in sesttgation cosercd onlv those in cidents "We spoke 10 i do/en oi more peo pie," lie said "One theme that mans mentioned was that they felt the hiring procedures were pretty good, but a,hcv saw it tin procedures weren't be ing rollow..i "There were two cases where I niversits procedures were noi followed," he continued "One I viol.iied| posting a position hefort hit ing someone 10 till it, and the othei ill v.iivci ,i man who was promoted less than iv months aftei ins pres ious pro motion which personnel policy savhould il-.II happen." "Posting is an important part ol am personnel policy." Keene added "Posting all job listings in a placs where people can find them is very ira nil keene said he presented ihe results to Hackney at a meeting between ihi two men held in Iuls. "The president expressed a commitment lo gel tin tan and non discriminating .1 person nlicy as pov • Pcnn v\ omen'(cntct Dlrccioi ( arol frucy, »ho ha« advised Helton. sill I DON II \( k\l >