Appropriations Committee Does Not Allocate on Basis of Sex

Bryan McGrath, Adam Austin

Cavalier Daily

Cavalier Daily

1984-04-11

Appropriations Committee Does Not Allocate on Basis of Sex
Once again, a group on Grounds which feels it was wronged has fallen back on the familiar charges of discrimination. I am referring to the recent controversy surrounding Iris magazine This issue has become another one of Marie Hawthorne’s political footballs, for she has alluded that the cut in allocation of funds for this worthy publication is motivated by sexual discrimination. Can she and her cronies not visualize any other factors that would force Student Council to cut the allocation for this magazine, such as the ones that were given by council? Was it discrimination which forced council to cut funds for other magazines on Grounds? I think not.
As I said earlier, Iris is a worthy magazine. The airing of women’s issues and concerns is extremely important, especially within the University community. But when budgets get tight and cuts must be made, it cheapens the worth of the magazine to charge the cuts were made of its sexual orientation, simply because Iris was not the only publication on Grounds to have its budget cut Others did — ones that could not possibly charge discrimination.
t could imagine a scenario in which Iris could rightfully charge discrimination – if there existed a magazine on Grounds which was solely devoted to male issues as Iris is to female issues- and if that publication benefited from Iris’ loss or in some way came out of the allocation process in a better position than when it went in. but the simple fact is, no such magazine exists. I urge council not to reconsider on this matter unless unsure of their own reason, not because of an overused, unsubstantiated charge of discrimination.
Bryan McGrath
CLAS I
Adam Austin
CLAS I