Southwestern Resumes Recruiting on Campus Ignoring Seven-Year College-Wide Ban

A bookselling company which has been banned on campus for the past seven years because of its irregular recruiting practices has allegedly been violating college regulations again this year while trying to attract summer employees.

Southwestern a Nashville-based company which sends college students around the country to sell bibles and encyclopedias, was banned from the campus in 1975, after it used a freshman dorm to hold a recruiting meeting.

Last year the company asked Harvard to life the recruitment ban, but the University refused the request Harvard then enforced the ban by forbidding Thomas J. Mallon, then a first-year. Business School student, from using his B-School dorm room or phone to solicit for Southwestern or from posting unapproved posters on the walls of Canaday Hall.

But despite last year's ban. Mallon has resumed his recruiting practices this year, according to several students. Last week be posted unapproved posters announcing an off-campus recruitment meeting and throughout the semester he has used his dorm room and phone to solicit summer employees, they said.

In addition, a salaried sales representative for Southwestern spoke to several students about the company in the Freshman Union earlier this spring.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, said yesterday the ban against Southwestern is still in effect because of the company's "hot-box environment" recruiting techniques and the level of risk involved in working for the program.

In addition, Epps said the unauthorized posters and the meeting in the Union defintely violated college policy. But he added that he could not take action against Mallon since the posters had already been removed and the Union meeting was held several months ago.

Although Epps said the B-School has jurisdiction over Mallon's use of his room, he added that his "assumption was that neither the College or Business School would agree to have its presence used by a student acting as an agent for any company."

William Hokanson, director of News Services at the B-School, said yesterday that the school is currently looking into the housing contracts to determine whether Mallon's use of his room violates the housing contract.

"We think that dorm residents they do what they wish so long as it is not illegal or hazardous to safety." Hokanson said, but he added that if the College complains about the situation, the B-School administration would "use what could be done."

Mallon refused to comment last night.

Students have been interviewed in Mallon's room during the past few months and those who agreed to work, for the summer have been meeting weekly with Mallon to dicuss sales techniques and personal growth, said Gordon R. Coope '85, who until last week had planned to sell Southwestern's books.

Mallon also posted unapproved posters last week which promised "Summer Work--Make $3148" and interviewed students at the Sheraton Commander Hotel with a Southwestern regional recruiter a student said.

Earlier this year, the same recruiter, James Crook, met with interested freshmen at the Union for four hours, said Catherine L. Cattan '85, who attended the meeting.

Epps said he had received some letters from the parents of students who joined Southwestern last year complaining that their children had gotten "stranded down there and their parents had to send money to get them home."

He added that the stranded students "had had second thoughts and couldn't get out of it."

Epps who noted the risks incurred by agreeing to the contract, which students are convinced to sign by what he called "fast talking people."

Southwestern recruits over 5000 students from over 500 colleges around the country. James Simpson, director of public relations at Southwestern, said yesterday. Students attend a five-and-a-half day sales school and then are sent to a town somewhere in the country. None of their expenses are paid and the students make all of their money form commissions, he said.

"Harvard is one of very few colleges to not let us recruit." Simpson said, He added be did not understand why Harvard invokes their policy. But "Southwestern doesn't want any hastles," Simpson said, adding. "If a school doesn't want us there, we don't go there."