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Volume 38 Issue 6
November 21, 2000

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News You Can’t Miss

BY MOGALY TORRES
MESA LEGEND
Submitted November 21, 2000

Loyalty oath battle continues
Fabricio Rodriquez, vice president of the Associated Students of MCC, continues progress in his struggle against the Maricopa Community College District’s loyalty oath. Although his paychecks were originally withheld, he has now received his first check for approximately $800 and has continued to be paid minimum wage at 20 hours per week.

As for Rodriguez’s next move, he is still campaigning and attempting to gain popular support of a statewide ban of the McCarthy-era loyalty oath, which says that no state, local, or school employee will be a member of the Communist Party. Rodriguez is a member of Communist Party USA.

Rodriguez, who will meet with the Arizona Supreme Court in February, said,  "There is no commitment from the state Legislature taking up the loyalty oath issue in the next session. But then again I have not yet spoken to my committee."

Rodriguez is also featured in the current issue of the Phoenix New Times.

Boy Scout issue hurt campaign
Pulling in approximately $21,000 in 1999, and currently at 75 percent of their $3.5 million goal for 2000, Mesa United Way still predicts some type of setback as a result of the City of Tempe’s now-broken promise to stop donating to the charity.

John Lang, vice president of resource development for Mesa United Way, said, "We do not know who did or did not give because of the Boy Scout issue, but we do suspect that it has hurt our campaign."

All figures have not been given yet, but their final drafts will be in with a concluding celebration at the Mesa Hilton Pavilion on Dec. 15.

ASMCC running low on funds
ASMCC, the school’s student government, is attempting to extend taxpayer funds that may not exist much longer.

Since beginning the fall semester with $75,000 at their disposal, ASMCC has already speant more than 50 percent of it.

Will Stanley, ASMCC vice president of fiscal affairs explains, "At this pace it’s very doubtful that we will have enough money to last us through the year."

ASMCC has been under heavy scrutiny from school administration for funding an Environmental Action Club member’s trip next semester to The Hague, Netherlands, one that critics believe is politically motivated.

The Freedom of Financial Information Act of fall 2000 will allow students more access to this information than before.