For the third time since 2002, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations is defending itself in court against allegations that it was discriminatory in laying off female workers.

Francine Moccio filed a lawsuit against the University on April 8, claiming that she was discriminated against based on both her age and gender.

Moccio was hired in 1990 as a Senior Extension Associate for the ILR Extension program in New York City. At the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, the 58-year-old was notified that she would be laid off at the end of this semester.

“The ILR school does a lot in training other people how not to discriminate,” said Moccio's attorney, David Marek. “It’s important that if they have problems internally, these problems are addressed.”

In yet another example of the tension between “intellectual diversity” and “universal inclusion,” Cornell is currently atwitter over some controversial behavior by the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship. Last week, news spread that Chi Alpha had asked one of its student leaders to step down because of his sexual orientation. The student had apparently succumbed to his homosexual urges and elected to live in sin with his boyfriend. Jesus would not approve.

Cornellians have since come out in droves against Chi Alpha. At a Student Assembly meeting last Thursday, everyone from Chris Basil ’10 to Dean of Students Kent Hubbell ’67 spoke out against the Christian group, claiming that rights had been violated and homophobia essentially endorsed by an SAFC-sponsored organization.

Few Americans were aware of sex discrimination in the 1950s, and even now, not many have fully grasped its scope in society, both in our country and beyond, according to Sonia Pressman Fuentes ’50. Fuentes, a feminist, lawyer and author spoke at Myron Taylor Hall yesterday about her experience fighting against sex discrimination. She was the first female attorney for the Office of the General Counsel at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and co-founder of the National Organization of Women.