The QC, Vol. 85, No. 10 • November 12, 1998

              WHITTIER
COLLEGE
uaker
November 12,1998
ampus
C  O   L   L  E G   E
At
■ Endi of
the World
Endi Poskovic
receives a fellowship abroad.
SPORTS.
■ 'Dogs
Dazed
The Poets beat the
Redlands Bulldogs
m    tkf"'" •       1
31-29 and secure a
hTjmO^B         mSSH
large chunk of the
SCIAC title.             1
The Voice Of The Campus Since 1914
OPINION    TOPIC
fetal positions
Students debate the moral justifications behind abortion and being
pro-life or pro-choice.
CAM
p Yl
wO^ M
■ Sister Act
Natalie Roman was
crowned Queen by
her sister Nicole
('98) Friday.
"Rapist" Banner Unveiled At Game Protested Policy
■ POLICY
by Chris Ziegler
QC Editor-in-Chief
Senior Sal Plascencia, junior
Matt Stuart and sophomore Chris
Lahti unfurled a banner claiming
that "Whittier Policy Protects Rapists" on the hill overlooking Newman Field during the Homecoming
football game on Saturday, Nov. 7,
the latest in a series of public protests aimed at forcing revision of
Whittier's controversial criminal
name disclosure policy.
Approximately 2,000 students, staff, faculty and alumni
saw the banner, which was draped
over the Whittier 'W just after
the third quarter of the game began and the Homecoming King
and Queen had been selected.
Senior Sean Jemigan, thinking the banner had been placed by
University of Redlands football
team supporters, dragged the banner down the hill after four minutes to enthusiastic response from
the crowd.
Plascencia, Stuart and Lahti
fled back up the hill after leaving
the banner behind but were identified and questioned by Campus
Safety officials when they returned
to the game. Dean of Students Susan Allen said that there had been
no violation of College policy.
"He has a right to raise questions and express himself. I don't
particularly think that flying a
banner at Homecoming is a problem," she said. "[But] from what I
understand, some Homecoming
participants didn't appreciate the
political activism in the midst of
the festivities."
Homecoming Queen senior
Natalie Roman acknowledged
Plascencia's position, but questioned his method of expression.
"I know he has objectives, but
a lot of people were there that didn't
need to be exposed to it," she said.
"My family was there and if my
grandmother had seen it, it would
have offended her, so I have mixed
feelings about the banner."
Plascencia, who has previously posted flyers and purchased ads
in the QC criticizing the College
policy, said that reaching such a
large audience was exactly why
Blaze of Glory
Bonfire Ignites School Spirit
The Poet Mascot stands before the bonfire that kicked off
Homecoming weekend on Thursday, Nov. 5. Celebrations
continued with the Homecoming dance on Friday, Nov. 6 and
climaxed with the Poetfootball team' s winagains| Redlands,
31-29, on Saturday, Nov. 7 [See article, pages 8 and 9.J
"It might be alienating,
but it'll shock people into
this conversation. We're
not saying anything that's
not true."
— Sal Plascencia, senior
he chose to display the banner
during the Homecoming game.
"It might be alienating, but
it'll shock people into this conversation," he said. "We're not saying anything that's not true. People are considering the issue a lot
more now."
Stuart said he had been struggling to find a way to address
what he felt were problems with
the College disclosure policy ever
since the well-publicized harassment case last year.
"I'm realizing now that maybe we can do something about it,"
he said. "The only way it's gotten
any attention now is that we're
actually putting it in their face.
People are getting an idea that
they could be living next to a
rapist and not know it."
Sal Plascencia (left) is questioned by Campus Safety about
the banner placed on the football stadium's eastern slope.
Whittier's disclosure policy is
to not release the names of students accused of committing
crimes which cause them to become involved with the College
discipline system. A recent federal law allows but does not force
colleges to disclose this information [see QC Volume 85, Issue 9].
"I wish that [Plascencia] and
I could have a conversation and
resolve this, but I'm not optimistic about that," Allen said.
Student Held At Gunpoint, Robbed Friday
■ CRIME
by Liz Valsamis
QC News Editor
A male student who asked not
to be identified was held at gunpoint, robbed and hit over the head
with the weapon near the campus
by an unidentified suspect late Friday night, Nov. 6, according to a
Whittier Police Department report.
The victim was approaching a
student residence on Comstock
Ave., about five blocks from campus, when he was approached by
a Hispanic male who pointed a
gun to the victim's head.
Witness junior Rene Islas said,
"We saw [the student] with the
gun up against his head. Someone
from behind me said 'hey he's got
a gun' and then we pushed everyone inside the house."
According to the police report, the suspect asked the student, "who are you?" The student
replied that he was "no one."
The suspect asked for the student's wallet. After he gave up his
"We saw [the student] with
the gun up against his head.
Someone from behind me
said 'hey he's got a gun'and
then we pushed everyone
inside the house."
— Rene Islas, junior
wallet, which contained a credit
card and driver's license, the suspect struck him in the head with
the gun.
Upon releasing his victim the
suspect fled down Mar Vista Ave.,
the street running perpendicular to
Comstock.
The suspect was described in
the police report as a slim 5'7V
Hispanic male with a dark complexion and black hair. The suspect was dressed in black and was
reportedly clean shaven.
According to Islas, the victim
then ran behind the student home
and was followed by Islas who
convinced him to come into the
house and call the police.
The reporting officer took
down the student's information
and asked him if he needed paramedics. According to Islas, the
student refused them.
"It was a minor cut, [so] that
was why we [figured] it was a
fake gun," Islas said.
The police report identified
the weapon as a chrome or nickel
plated handgun.
A report was not filed with
Whittier College Campus Safety.
news
you can use
■ Registration
Spring Registrationbegms on
Monday, Nov. 16 for seniors,
Tuesday, Nov. 17 for juniors,
Thursday.Nov. 19for sophomores, and Friday, Nov. 20
for freshmen. Out-of-se-
quence registration is on Tuesday, Nov. 24. For further information, contact the Registrar's Office at Ext. 4067.
ISSUE 10* VOLUME 85