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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1976)
(Continued from Page 4B) $825 for the coming academic year. The Executive recommended $695 to fund the program. At press time Tuesday the IFC still had not determined the final allocation. To illustrate the necessity for a program like 3-D, Russell told of one seven-year-old. "His father was black and his mother was white. He was being raised only by his mother. All of the kids at his school were white yet society and his peers treated him as a black person, which was very difficult for him to understand. "He was unhappy with himself, and was having problems at school. The 3-D program doesn't attempt to indoctrinate kids with any "black ideology.” In fact, according to Russell, “there’s no such thing as a monolithic black experience. Everything a black per son does is black.” She said the program avoids stereotyping black behavior, and tries to be flexible in handling each child individually. University students participating in the program get credit through the ESCAPE program, which also helps administer the 3-D program. The main problem faced by the program is paying for the high costs of recruiting Eugene minority chil dren into the program. But parents of the children now participating in the 3-D activities are appreciative. One University student and mother of two says, "My kids go to an all-white school. It's good for them to have teachers who understand what it means to be black. The 3-D program provides a very valuable ser vice to students and the whole community," she con tinued. Greeks ‘guard the frat system’ "We re like the ASUO Off-Campus Housing for fraternities," says Tom Dulctch, Interfraternity Council president. "We match up people with places to live.” The council, "the guardian of the frat system,” according to Dulcich, carries out the policy of the fraternities' President's Council, a group made up of the presidents of each house. The mam function of the Interfraternity Council is to promote "rushing," the pledging of new members, Dulcich said. “We want everyone to see all the houses and to get to know people. If a guy goes through his whole college career just knowing the 50 guys he lives with, then he’s in trouble,” he said. University fraternities house more than 800 men (about 10 per cent of the male student population), according to Dulcich. Policing conduct matters within the fraternities is another duty of the council. "Last year a house party got raunchy. The guys poured beer in somebody's gas tank, turned rowdy at a sorority and were generally abusive," he said. “We fined their house aood.” Dulcich believes the fraternity system is back on its feet now that the rage of political activism has blown through. By 1972, University fraternities had dwindled from 24 houses to 10. “In the late 60s no one wanted to admit they were a Greek,” he said. “The war, the draft, the pressures against surrendering to institutions all had to do with the anti-fraternity feeling. But we're back up to 14 houses ” Dulcich said. “That says something for group living." Despite objections in the ASUO Executive rec ommendations, the Incidental FEE Committee awarded the Interfraternity Council $750 last year. This year the council originally asked for $1,606 to cover office expenses and printing costs of the folders supplied in admissions packets. Executive recom mendations have cut that amount back to $780, just slightly higher than last year’s budget. The Incidental Fee Committee will determine the actual allocation during budget hearings Thursday. Altiough expenses of the Interfraternity Council run more than twice the IFC funding, Dulcich thinks their award is fair. “Our work benefits a limited group. But we deserve funding,” he adds. “The stability of fraternities proves they go hand-in-hand with higher education." MEChA is Chicanos’ rep MEChA is the University’s Chicano student or ganization. It not only serves as a representative in A campus affairs, but strives to create awareness of Chicano history and culture among others. Previously known as the Chicano Student Union, MEChA was first organized in 1965-67. Records for the budget at this time do not exist, although it was ASUO-funded. According to Alfonso Cabrera, a MEChA affiliate who was on campus at that time, the funding was approximately $4,000. MEChA’s proposed budget, for the period July 1, 1976, to June 30, 1977, showed a nearly $2,000 in crease from $5,684 to $7,666. During Incidental Fee Committee (IFC) hearings last week, the program was actually allocated $5,870 for the upcoming year. New salaries for an associate director and a work-study position accounted for part of the re quested increase, according to program director Reenie Campos. Proposed publicity costs reflected an increase of $550, up from $150 in the 1975-76 period. Over $400 was requested for the bi-weekly news paper, for which no funds were allocated this fiscal year. The newsletter is mailed to members here at the University and to other Chicano organizations throughout the state and nation. As stated in a MEChA pamphlet, "This exchange of newsletters is important for full awareness of all Chicano student activity throughout the country.” ASUO funding for such events as the Cinco de Mayo and “Que Pasa Raza” is merely seed money, according to Reenie Campos. Campos maintains that these events are important in making “others aware of the history and culture, and of the struggles and con cerns" of Chicano students. MEChA represents, and communicates with, ap proximately 90 Chicano students, according to Cam pos. “It can be aienating to come to a big university,” the director explains, “If you’re a minority it’s easier if you can talk to someone with the same background.” MEChA serves primarily as a haven for Chicano students, and a beacon of awareness to others. But political involvement has been necessitated by the scab lettuce controversy, according to Campos. Chicano students feel the program is worthwhile. Toni Torres, a transfer student this term, says, “To me, MEChA’s doing a good job...we’re here to help the Chicano students with what they want.”
