Oregon Daily THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1994 EUGENE, OREGON VOLUME 95, ISSUE 85 Asian-American racism prevalent at University Intolerance: Campus incidents mirror nationwide discrimination By Edward Klopfenstefn i Vegoo O.iV f Before coming to the University last fall, Bran don Sugivnma's California friends told him Oregon is a racist state. Two weeks into the term. Sugivama was a beliov • er. While he and n friend wore waiting on a red light by the University Inn. n car pulled up next to the i.ar he was in It was filled with what seemed like the porfot t nuclear family of four with the daughter poking her head out the hack window and chatting about his yellow skin "What?" he said As the light changed and the two cars sped up. she told Sugivama, “Go back to wherever the fuc«. you aim# from." he said For him, home is (California. He's American I.iko miniy Asian-Amoricans nationwide. Asian Aimim.iiiis at the University **x{>*»rn»m e a kind of discrimination that attar ks deep down to their sense of citizenship "Many Asian-Americans on this i.nmpus suffer from the model minority myth." said Hands ('.hoy. program coordinator for the OfTice of Multicultur al Affairs "The Asian American myth is that tiles are not aggressive and don't act People net sur prised when Asian Americans speak out " Myths like these help ignite hatred against the Asian community here. On Jan. 10. the bulletin board outside of the APA St l office was set on fire after the perpetrator cars ed u swastika into it Another swastika was carved into the same board last May Turn to RACISM, Pago 6 Students view letter as ignorant, biased Controversy: Brand calls Asian-Americans international students' By Edward Kloplensteln OroQOP Cku\ (irrwitkl When members of the Asian/Paciflc American Stu dent Union think of igno rance. they point to a letter from University President Myles Brand where he refers to Asian-Amerkiiits as "inter national students," In the Dei.. 23 letter, he politely declined an invita tion to APASU’s student and faculty reception, then added that. "International students bring significant cultural diversity to our campus." Turn to LETTER, Page 6 UNIVERSITY Most 3-credit classes will increase to four credits Change: Beginning fall 1994 students can take one fewer class each academic term By Heatherle Himes Oregon Daily Em&akt Curriculum changes at the University will prepare for a future of scarce teaching resources and what the administrators hope will be a larger student population Hut budget constraints prevent the hiring of more teachers With that in mind, the University Asscm hlv approved earlier (his term a change in the number of ( redds awarded for most undergraduate classes Starting tall students will earn four credits for classes currently offered for three credits The change means that full-time students will take one less class per term and still earn a bachelor's degree in four years It also means that courses now taught in 3 term sequences, such as introductory Eng lish courses, will ho condensed into two terms. Because most students will take only four classes each, tear hers will not be over burdened But faculty and administrators snv that teaching more students with fewer teachers is not the entire motivation for the credit conversion Most quarter system universities teach 4 i redd courses University President Myles Brand said Students study four courses each term Students at si hools on the semester sy s tern take five 3-credit classes each term to graduate in four years At the University, students have typically been taking five courses per quarter "Students have been trying to shove a semester's worth of work into a quarter." Brand said "Students were complaining We re overloaded,’ and they ysere right ' Charles Wright, a math professor involved in redesigning the curriculum, agrees that the workload of students has Turn to CREDITS. Page 6 ---*---“- \ HA*.4 ■■ Sam Noett, a sophomore at South Eugene High School, shows oft his air move In front of his friend, Oscar Basham. GOOD MORNING p> SALEM (AIJ) — Developers have turned over more than 2.000 artifacts unearthed from ancient village sites near the Columbia River to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rondo Community. The items were found at sites up to 1,000 years old near the boundary between Portland and Gresham Safeco Properties and VVinmar Co., owners of the sites, presented them to the Grand Rondo during a ceremony at the Capitol on Tuesday "1 can't describe the feeling of knowing that my ancestors used this." said Kathryn Harrison, tribal vice chairwoman and a tribal elder, as she turned a flat, ovul stone in her hand. David Ellis of Archaeological Investigations Northwest said the sites where the items were found existed about 950 A D. Ellis' firm conducted the archaeological studies for the Seattle development companies. ^ OAKLAND. Calif. (AP) — A group of students who were HIGH 48° l O W kicked out of a showing of the film "Schindler's List" have invited director Steven Spielberg to participate in a program designed to teach the youths about such issues as genocide and racism Spielberg hopes to attend if his schedule allows it, his spokesman said Tuesday. School officials invited Spielberg to take part in the program a week after 60 Castlemont High School students were ejected from n showing of his film. Patrons had complained that some students laughed at depictions of Nazi atrocities. Student representatives later apologized for the incident But they also said the whole group had l>een unfairly blamed for the actions of a few and denied that anti-Semitism was behind the behavior.