Center receives grant
for eighth year in a row
By Jim Davis
The University and the Uni
versity’s Foreign Language
Resouri c Center have r»u eived
a $144,000 grant from tin- Nation
al Endowment of the Humanities
to fund a program that will allow
participants to learn more about
Mexico this summer
The grunt marks the eighth year
in a row that the director of the
( enter. David Curland. has lu-en
awarded funds for similar foreign
language institutes
"No other university, to my
knowledge, has been awarded a
national institute in foreign lan
guages for eight years," Curland
said.
Twenty-six Spanish teachers
from across the country will be
selected from a pool of 200 appli
( ants to participate in the four
week seminar Participants will
study Mexican literature and his
tory in order to understand the
impact of modernization on 20th
century Mexico.
1'he seminar will feature four
University faculty members and
two visiting scholars from Mexi
co. The two scholars are Joso
Emilio Pacheco, an award-win
ning Mexican author and poet,
and Cristina Pacheco, a promi
nent commentator, journalist and
social critic.
Last year, Curland received a
grant for a similar seminar on
Mexico. In previous years, he has
been the project director of var
ious programs in different lan
guages. including three in t.er
ninn on Vienna
This year's grant was one of ltt
the NEH gave out nationw ide for
summer institutes
Since 1985, Curland has
brought close to Si -t million to
the University from the NEH and
the Andre" Mellon Foundation
to offer similar institutes on \ ir
ions stibjtx ts each summer
()ur reviewers Itad high praise
for the (University) proposal's
intellectual rationale and i learly
stated goals All of the reviewers
mentioned their strong approval
of its interdisciplinary nature,
said Michael Lanza. program offi
cer for NFII, of Curland's most
recent institute proposal
The University and Professor
1 hroko Katooka of the department
of East Asian languages and lit
eratures also received an NEII
grant for a thrwe-vonr special pro
ject to develop educational aids
for elementary school Japanese
immersion programs
A Eugene si nool district also
received an NF.H grant to
expand an existing Japanese
immersion program, which
offers course material in (apart
ese and English to elementary
school students.
"It is really amazing." (airland
said, "that a berg the size of
Eugene should get three large
grants from the NEH
Curlnnd. who was at a meeting
of program directors in Wash
ington. D.C.. last week, said he
was impressed with the new
leadership of the NEH.
"It was a breath of fresh air."
he said. "Sheldon Hackney, the
former president of Pennsylvania
University, and the Endowment
are really trying to address the
cultural diversity and multiracial
society th.it we are becoming and
that we an1 "
Curlnnd said he believes the
NEH IS now willing to fund pro
je< ts it would not have consid
ered in past years
"People should take another
look at the possibility of NEH
funding," he said
Profs discuss, huh-hun,
Beavis and Butt-Head
By Lia Salciccia
Oregon Datfy tmetnkl
"I have lecture classes of 150 students and not this many people
show up." said Carl Bybee. Associate Professor of Journalism to a
group of about 55 students gathered on their own free time to disi uss
cartoon characters Beavis and Butt-Head.
The discussion, titled 'Beavis and Butt-Head: Art or I rash Icons
or Idiots'" co-facilitated by Assistant Professor of Journalism Al Stavit
sky. focused on why young people connei ted with the characters,
rather than why they are currently under fire by older i run s
r_
Carl Bybee
!ieitl I uesaay imMim# m me «
Hall's Gold Room, the discussion was the first in
a series designed to got students talking about
subjects that interest thorn.
By bee and Stavitsky played a segment of Beav
is and Butt Head that was recorded from M I \'
In it the two adolescent rebel-geeks amuse them
selves during their jobs at a last - food restaurant
by tossing burgers, shakes, fries and cola into the
i ei ling fan and watching the remains splat in var
ious directions all over the room
Why is that funny'
I'hev can do the stuff we can only dream
about doing, said one mate siuuum. /imnuu. v w.•••o
worked at a Taco Hell once, by the end of the night we were shoot
mg the guacamole guns at each other." Yet another male student relat
ed to the spirit of the segment: he and his co-workers at f izza Hut
used to throw dough at each other. .......
Whether or not real people actually do the things that the incred
ibly stupid Beavis and Butt-Head pull off with relative ease and a
lol'of "Heh-heh-huh-huhs,” they take on the characteristics of cul
tural icons for the rebellious. By bee said ...
Yet by playing the cartoon on MTV to an audience with relative
ly large buying power, the music television channel is actually a vehi
cle to "sell people the props they need to rebel. Bybee said.
Students agreed, pointing out the marketing possibilities of all
the Beavis-and Butt-head merchandise sold to young consumers and
^But'iTretellim^U marketable to MTV. why would they treasure the
pyromaniac. animal-abusing duo and trash Madonna s sexual fan
tasv video, “Justify My Love.
One woman hypothesized that perhaps a pair of stupid teenage
guys who play baseball with frogs were still a safer form of societal
rebellion than a woman who takes "unheard of control of her sexu
ality and chooses to be deviant.
Q: What JOB OPPORTUNITY at
the university gives you
valuable leadership
experience, allows you to
meet many interesting people
and pays your living
expenses?
A: Resident Assistant
University Housing is now accepting applications for
Resident Assistants for the 1994 95 academic year.
To apply:
1 - Pick up an application packet at the University Housing Office.
Walton Complex.
2- Attend one of the three mandatory informational sessions
Jan 19 7pm Riley Hall Lounge
Jan. 20 7pm Hamilton Ramey Room
Jan 25 7pm Carson Gold Room
3- Hand in application to Housing Office before the deadline:
Tuesday, February 1st at 5pm
Qualifications: Must be a full time student at the U of O with above a
2.5 GPA and junior standing by fall term 1994.
Compensation: Room and board in a single room, and $600
An AAfcO institution committed to cultural diversity and in
compliance with the ADA
NEW YEAR'S
SPECIAL
Oregon West Fitness Is the place to work out)
Oregon West
-fitness
Best Hours
7 Days a week
6am-11pm
485-1624
PSliM
r
NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL
• $35 Per month for
6 months
• NO Initiation Fee
• Pay by the Month
Expires 1/24/94
Ork.on Wl ST
1475 Franklin Blvd.
Across from Campus
485-1624
L_