University of Virginia Library

'Extreme Appearance' Irates
University Employees, Says Austin

Replying to recent controversy over
complaints of discrimination in custodial
hiring policy, Emory H. Austin, Assistant
Director for Building Services, declared
that any refusal to hire an applicant was
the responsibility of the individual
interviewer.

In an open letter to Sandy Lubin, a
Student Council worker assigned to
investigate discrimination complaints, Mr.
Austin said that it was his personal
intention to screen applicants with an
"extreme appearance", Mr. Austin stressed in
an attached letter addressed to The Cavalier
Daily that the case of Steve Braintwain was his
own individual decision and would be held until
it was reversed by higher authorities.

Mr. Austin explained that he had not
attempted to form a strict policy with his
assistants in regard to hair length of applicants,
but he had established "in a broad sense" that
employees must be neat in appearance.

"The length of hair alerts the interviewer,"
Mr. Austin said. The main concern is
compatibility among other employees he
asserted.

In his letter to Mr. Lubin, Mr. Austin
illustrated his position on long hair by writing:

"Majority attitudes and opinions are realities
that must be faced. Quite simply, in any given
group or society a majority of people act or
appear in such a manner as to project image. A
small percentage act or present an image
accepted by the majority as extreme either
liberally or conservatively. Generally speaking,
it is my opinion that people who choose to
appear extreme may act or react extremely."

Mr. Austin explained to The Cavalier Daily
yesterday that he has the final jurisdiction over
the routine hiring of University employees. He
said that he does not wish to irate the some 200
persons that the University already employs
by placing "incompatible" persons in their
midst.