EDITORIAL
Race requirement
doesn’t get it done
A committee of students, faculty and administra
tors will discuss narrowing the focus of the
race/gondor/non-European-American requirement at
the University. Why' Because of complaints that the
requirement — though well-intentioned doesn’t ac
complish anything.
The rnce/gendor/non-European-American require
ment is the* University's most obvious attempt to prove
a multicultural commitment. Students are required to
take one non-European American course during their
tenure at the University. The list of classes is broad,
with about 175 classes fulfilling the requirement for
winter term.
f rom tlm beginning, the point of the requirement
was to teai h a broader world perspective that reflects
not only white America but other cultures as well. Stu
dents would learn the history and traditions of non
white societies, whic h would ideally help them adjust
to and interact with a multiracial society in the future.
What has happened to
the requirement? Instead
of learning about tin
world, students skirl the
requirement by taking
broad, vague courses —
most of which have little
to do with cultural per
spectives Students then
do just enough work to
Students treat it
like any other non
major class —
another
requirement to
squeeze by.
pass the course they treat ——
it like any other non-major ( lass another require
ment to squeeze by.
The intent of tin* University to get people think
ing about othnoc entrlcity c annot be fulfilled in a
21)0 person lecture class about Asian dam e. The course
itself may be vary interesting, but a lecture rarely gives
students an increased perspective, nor will it discuss
why white i itizens sometimes see things differently
than people of color
If the University is going to make a change in the
requirement, there are two options. One is to do away
yvith the requirement entirely. It is doing little good as
it stands now because students don't actually learn
anything. Granted, it is the student's responsibility to
study c lass material, but if the material doesn't ac tually
provoke thought, few will benefit anyway.
The second option is to narrow the requirement —
as tiie proposal says — so students study more than
just culture. Professors should teach not only about the
history of different rat lal and ethnic groups, but also
about the perceptions of eac h group with respect to one
another.
Small, discussion-oriented courses will entourage
wider participation for students. And in this format,
professors can actually dissect the meaning of "white
perspective*" or ‘'multicultural."
This should be the requirement's intent make
students think about their place in the world. Other
wise, students will treat the requirement like any other
requirement. They 'll ignore it.
Oregon Pailv
Emerald
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KPMNCIML
■MW9k\ I n|' • vv\u vw m* w-■ 11 —
-ME? I GOT CAUGHT LEARNING MATH AND SCIENCE WHILE MY TEACHER ASSIGNED
STUDIES IN GAY HOMELESSNESS AND AMERICAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPERIALISM!"
Hall hype
A month ago. vou printed n
letter in wlm h the writer coin
plained about the treatment of
students and the level of ser
vice at Oregon Hall (ODE. Dei
•t) While 1 am sure exponent es
in dealing with bureau! ra< y do
differ on a i use bv i use basis. I
am i ompelled to speak out
from a positive viewpoint
I have lw*en at the University
for six terms, eai h term requir
ing at least three or four visits
to Oregon Hall In very few in
stances have I experienced a
person w ho w as not aim erel v
attempting to provide assis
tant e. whether it dealt with ai
counting or financial aid or
w hates er
To be honest. I was rather
surprised at the level of |M*rson
al servue available in a system
that deals w ith 17,000 students
In partii ular, I think of Su
zanne von Kleist. who has re
peatedly Imlped to smooth bu
reaucrat it details tor me, while
al the same time lieing friendly
and patient
The University system is, no
doubt, a bureau! racy. Hut if
you've had other experiences
with bureaucracies (there an* a
myriad of those in tins world),
you realize that Oregon Hall
doesn't do all that l>ad of a job
on the whole In many cases,
there are good people behind
the counter who are just as in
hibited as we an* by having to
deal w ith the sv stem.
Hopefully, the University
will ferret out those who don't
t an* about doing their jobs and
will make it easier for employ
ees who do their lies! to serve
students by continually im
proving the "system."
Kelita Morris
Industrial Relations
We have many plans for the
next two years and hope to be
gin by offering valuable semi
nars in such topic s .is volunteer
recruitment phone banking,
leadership training, public poli
cy educ ation, campaign organi
zation and issue forums
We'd like to inc rease our vis
ibility in the community and
take an active role in helping
President-elect Clinton's "New
Americ a" liec ume reality I ce
gether yye c an forge- ahead with
hope and prosperity Please
join us as a procinc t |>erseiii to
day. you can and do make a
differwnc e
Vicki L Walker
LCDCC Chairwoman
Created God
1‘vi* tieen pondering religion
again It seems that many reli
gions believe there is only one
true (kid People of the Jewish,
Muslim and Christian faiths lie
lieve this is so. It also seems
there are religions that hold
there an* many gods, from the
ancient Greeks to many tribal
religions to some of the Asian
religions today.
1 am not exactly sure of the
spei dies surrounding each of
these religions, as l have not
studied theology It does seem
there is a fundamental differ
ence in many of the religions
That is either there is or isn't
one God. Given that if one
group is right and the other is
wrong. I've come to the conclu
sion that neither is right, and
therefore religion is just anoth
er manifestation of i ulture. like
art or social hierarchy.
Each religion is unique to the
culture that bore it. God did not
create humans; we created God
Dead Week
In response to the editorial
"Make Dead Week a truly dead -
week,” {Ol)E. Dei Hi). I would
like to say that the existing
policy is usually appropriate,
and only procrastination makes
Dead Week "hell week ’ Al
though occasionally we all
might get a professor who has
unreasonable expei tations and
ai ts as 11 he or she was nev er a
student, most of the professors
at the University follow the eti
quette of Dead Week
If you choose to do an assign
ment that is due during Dead
Week at the last minute, then
you choose to reduce the time
you have to study for finals. I
do. however, agree with the ed
itorial's proposal that no exams
should he given during Dead
Week, but I would amend it to
add "unless the final is going to
!>e optional."
I do think i lasses during
Dead Week should be slanted
toward an overview and review
of the material covered during
the term, but 1 also think we
should have classes during
Dead Week University stu
dents pav a lot of money for
these classes to lie taught, and
for the chance to learn from
them 1 represent students and
support giving students a
chanc e to learn
I do think Dead Week could
use some minor adjustments,
hut I won't support a major
overhaul. College is supposed
to tie difficult, and I think we
all know it is (that's what
makes a c ollege degree valu
able). As far as making classes
Optional during Dead Week,
this is college, all classes are
optional.
Lane Democrats
The latne County Democratic
Party has reorganized and elect
ed officers for u new two-year
term. As the newly elected
chairwoman. 1 would like to
welcome lane County citizens
to participate in the Demot rutic
process. Our Central Commit
tee meets the third Thursday of
every month at 7 p.m. in Harris
Hall, and anyone is welt ome.
Our office is located at 239 \V
13th Ave. *F in Eugene; the
phone is 484-5099.
James Rogers
Geology
Braden 0. Kelley
Executive Secretary, Student
Senate
S PO
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