Ease in tensions sparks U . S . reaction Mining town

The settlem ent o f the class action sex discrim ination suit against the University received tentative court approval yesterday. C ourt docum ents confirm ed ear­ lier reports that the term s o f the proposed settlem ent include tenu r­ ing D elores Frese, form er assistant professor o f English and prinicipal planliff in the suit, and granting her back pay from Sept. 1, 1980. Although U.S. D istrict Judge Allen Sharp gave his prelim inary approval, “ there are still a num ber o f ques­ tions that need to be resolved in the case,” University counsel Tim othy McDevitt said. He declined to elaborate, citing an agreem ent that all parties involved in the suit would retrain from public com m ent. University Provost Timothy O ’Meara said yesterday’s approval does not mean that a final settlem ent has been reached. “T here will now be a period for the m em bers o f the class to com m ent,” O ’Meara said. "Judge Sharp will consider the com ­ m ents and then accept o r reject the se ttlem ent. ” Part o f the proposed settlem ent includes establishing tw o appeal p rocedures for persons displeased w ith tenure and o ther hiring deci­ sions. A specific p rocedure will be set up for class m em bers unhappy w ith decisions made betw een Jan. 1, 1977 and Dec 1, 1980. Appeals will be handled by a com m ittee o f tw o academ icians from inside the Uni­ versity and tw o from outside. Appeal procedures for future tenure decisions are presently being established. W hen asked if faculty w ho are not m em bers o f the class action suit w ould be able to com m ent on the se ttlem ent before Judge Sharp, M cDevitt was uncertain I’m not sure,” he said. My sense is no be­ cause they will not be legally af­ fected by the settlem ent "I anticipate, how ever, that Judge Sharp may allow com m entary from any party." McDevitt added that the proposed settlem ent is not final yet and that all m em bers o f the class