“My voice is not heard, but I’m a strong mamma jamma.”

The words of CHANCE Counselor Martha Palmer strongly described her experiences in her fight against racism and sexism throughout her time at NIU at a meeting held last night to discuss her controversial dismissal.

Palmer said that although it specifies in her contract she must receive a document listing all facts leading up to her dismissal, her supervisors have failed to present her with any such document.

Larry Bolles, NIU Judicial Office director, said the university bylaws state supervisors do not have to relay any such information to untenured faculty, such as in Palmer’s case.

Palmer said she was notified on June 27 of her upcoming dismissal, three days prior to the beginning of her third year as a CHANCE counselor. She said that after three years of employment at NIU, staff members must be notified one year in advance of their dismissal.

CHANCE Director Leroy Mitchell has refused to comment on the proceedings of her contract, which will terminate December 1988.

Palmer and several of her student supporters have agreed she has fired because of her “outspokenness” against racism and sexism. Palmer said, “If I was a man, I believe I’d still have my job.

“This is a new era, a new day, and people are still playing plantation,” Palmer said. Lifestyles of minorities are different, but the majority is not always sensitive to those differences, she said.

“I have been harrassed by certain people in the (CHANCE) office,” Palmer said. Palmer has accused counselor Joe Vigneux of verbally harrassing her.

Vigneux said Palmer had turned a professional confrontation into a screaming argument. He said he was “physically harrassed (by Palmer) at the same time” that he verbally harrassed her.

However, Palmer denied any accusations that she physically harrassed Vigneux.

John Lennon Society member Jim Fabris said the issue surrounding Palmer is not that she was fired. Rather, he said, “It’s a struggle about black liberation.”

Palmer thanked the students for all their support and told them “to maintain the faith.”

Fabris said, “She’s not gone yet. Let’s get rid of the bureaucracy and keep Ms. Palmer.”

Students passed out petitions to obtain signatures to save Palmer’s position. CHANCE student Nicole Mitchell said, “She should be on this campus, even if she is not in the CHANCE office. She helps people personally and on a business level.”

JLS member Marna Coldwater said the petitions will be given to the Board of Regents at their Sept. 15 meeting to be held at NIU.

JLS members passed out fliers blaming the Board of Regents for not renewing Palmer’s employment contract. The fliers urged students to join them in protesting at the Regents’ meeting.

“We’re going to make them listen,” Coldwater said.