`house At Pooh Corner' Has Room For The Family

34 Bands Set For Mindstock 
A List Of Acts Performing At Mindstock, In Order Of Appearance. Bands Begin At 
1 P.m. Each Day And Will Start At Half-hour Intervals (approximate And Subject 
To Change): 
Saturday 
Big Daddy Shotgun 
Fierce Nipples

By MARY THERESE BIEBEL; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Saturday, July 27, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





NANTICOKE -- A high-ranking official of Luzerne County Community College
says she doesn't expect claims of sexual harassment -- and more recent
allegations of retaliation against those who complained -- to hurt the
school's chances of having its accreditation renewed by the Middle States
Association of Colleges and Schools. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Without accreditation, student credits do not transfer to other
institutions and a school loses opportunities for state and federal aid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "They'll say, `We understand you have some problems,' " predicted Ann
Williams, special assistant to the president for labor relations." `How did
you handle them?' " &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to Middle States' "Characteristics of Excellence in Higher
Education," a booklet detailing standards for accreditation, a college should
maintain "integrity in the institution's conduct of all its activities through
humane and equitable policies dealing with students, faculty, staff and other
constituencies." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Seven women filed harassment charges in 1995. Four charged in 1995 and 1996
that they suffered retaliation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The attorney for three of the original complainants, Kimberly Borland of
Wilkes-Barre, expressed anger that the LCCC Board of Trustees earlier this
week refused to accept a plaque meant to honor the women who complained. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "What really is important is, the college has given a message to every
other female employee and every female student as to what they can expect if
they would be so bold as to blow the whistle on sexual harassment in 1996." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But when the Middle States evaluators arrive next spring or early summer,
the school can point to a change in the school's discrimination policy that
provides more avenues for reporting harassment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That change, along with sensitivity training seminars for students, faculty
and the Board of Trustees, will show that LCCC has taken steps to address the
problems and deserves to have its accreditation renewed, Williams said Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Representatives from Northeastern Pennsylvania Women in Higher Education, a
professional association, have said the college should have done more. They
wanted the board to accept the Pathfinder Award from the Wyoming Valley
Women's Network on behalf of "the courageous women who came forward to
denounce sexual harassment" and display it prominently at the school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The women who made the initial complaints displayed immense courage because
of the high rank of the alleged harassers, said Jan Kelly, the group's
chairwoman. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was the president of the organization they were accusing," Kelly said.
"I think that made it a much more formidable task." The accusations led to the
resignation of then-President Donald Bronsard and then-Board of Trustees
Chairman Leonard Falcone. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Complaints of retaliation against the women who made the original complaint
were officially docketed Monday at the state Human Relations Commission,
spokeswoman Laura Treaster said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 LCCC has 30 days to respond to the complaint, Treaster said, but may
request an additional 30-day extension. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The next step, if the complainants so desire, is a fact-finding conference
at which a Human Relations Commission investigator would preside. The
commission can impose penalties against an institution, such as requiring it
to compensate an employee for lost wages, missed promotions or legal and
travel expenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Middle States executive director was on vacation Friday and could not
be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lccc Confident Of Reaccreditation The College Has Been Rocked By Charges Of Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Against Complainants