UNIVERSITY
Administrators respond to scholarship debate
By Bob Waite
Emeiakl RepoMer
When Assistant Secretary of Kduca
tion Michael Williams said last month
that public institutions' minority schol
arships were inappropriate, at least two
presidents immediately disagreed.
President George Bush and University
President Myles Brand issued state
ments condemning Williams' December
threat to crack down on institutions that
receive federal money if they offer mi
nority scholarships.
Bush. Brand and others became in
volved when media sources revealed a
Dec; 4 letter from W'illiams to l-iesta
Bowl football organizers in Tempe.
Ariz, according to the l,os Angeles
Times.
Organizers wens living to establish a
scholarship in King s name in an at
tempt to reverse the negative attention
that resulted when a state wide referen
dum to establish a Martin l.uther King
Jr holiday was defeated in November.
Williams wrote to them and said
schools receiving federal money could
no! legally award such scholarships.
Hush learned of the controversy
through media reports Still recovering
from criticism over his veto of civil
rights legislation last year. Bush said he
was a supporter of the United Negro
Odlege Fund and ordered his staff to
The Oregon State Sys
tem of Higher Education
is committed to the
principles of equal op
portunity and affirmative
action
— Larry Large
find a way to reverse the scholarship
policy, according to the New York
Times
Brand responded, in a press release,
by saying that the University partici
pates in the Oregon State System of
Higher Education's Minority Achieve
ment Scholarship Program, which
grants tuition waivers to qualified mem
hers of under-represented racial groups
"The University of Oregon enthusias
tically supports this program because it
is an affirmative step properly targeted
at assuring that people of all races in
this country have the opportunity to at
tend college and move into the profes
sional ranks of society," Brand said.
Assistant Secretary Williams' state
ments would seem to put this important
component of the slate system's scholar
ship program at risk."
"The Oregon State System of Higher
Education is committed to the princi
ples of equal opportunity and affirma
tive action," said I.arry large. QSSHE
vice chancellor for public affairs.
"Current OSSHE policy is based on
historical and statistical evidence which
shows that certain minority groups are
underrepresented in Oregon's state col
leges and universities." large said.
"There is no question that this is not
over," John Scully, counsel for the
Washington l.egal Foundation, told the
Uis Angeles Times after Williams' an
nouncement. It was Scully's complaint
about scholarships for blacks that
sparked Williams' initial reaction.
"They are just caving in to political
pressure.” he said.
During the next four years, so that no
current scholarships are jeopardized,
the Department of Education will take
no action, but will investigate any com
plaints. such as Scully's, while seeking
to interpret Title VI of the 1964 Civil
Rights Act.
Scholarships for minorities may con
tinue. if specified hy people who give
the gifts, but college funds could not be
used for racially exclusive scholarships.
"I am pleased that Williams' decision
has been reversed." said Marshall
Sauceda, University director of cultural
affairs. "Hut there is still some ambigui
ty. This is typical of the Bush adminis
tration. They're saying, 'Our decision to
react is to not do anything.' It still
leaves the issue in limbo."
Problems faced by inner-city minor
ities are problems shared by all of socie
ty. Sauceda said, adding minority schol
arships help to solve these problems.
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Local crisis lines available
to help University students
The sudden closure of Rape
Crisis Network has brought
concern that victims of sexual
assault or abuse will be? unable
to receive confidential crisis as
sistance.
Members of the Unwanted
Sexual Behavior Task Force, at
a Wednesday meeting, deter
mined several numbers where
immediate phone crisis coun
seling can be obtained.
• Coos County Counseling
Center — 1-800-448-8125 (24
hours)
• University Counseling Cen
ter — 346-3227 (8 a m. to 5
p.m.)
• University Crisisline —■
346-4488 (5 p.m. to 8 a.m.)
•911 (24 hours)
The University Counseling
Center and Crisisline numbers
are available for University stu
dents only The other numbers
are available for everyone. 911
is not staffed by police officers,
and does not require that an as
sault be reported, or the caller’s
name given.
THK FAR SIM
By GARY LARSON
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