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Editorial was not the opinion of the staff
The story that ran on the
opinion page of
Tuesday’s paper was not,
in fact, the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board.
Tuesday’s editorial page was
supposed to contain an opinion
written by one of our columnists.
By 5 p.m. Tuesday, the story had
not arrived.
To fill the void in the paper, an
editorial board member wrote an
editorial; it was haphazardly
edited and placed on the page.
These actions were taken under
deadline pressure, but that does
not make them acceptable.
Normally, editorials are written
by the Emerald editorial board.
This board is composed of
newsroom representatives. Three
of these representatives are
elected by the newsroom staff.
The editor-in-chief, managing
editor and editorial editor(s) are
automatic board members.
The board meets twice weekly
to decide which issues will be
written about and the positions
the board will take on these
issues.
Usually, deciding editorial
stances is done on a consensus
basis. However, sometimes
consensus is difficult to achieve
and decisions are based on voting.
Tuesday’s editorial and its
misleading authorship indicated
we need to reevaluate our
editorial board procedures. We
have taken preventive measures
so that situations like this do not
occur ever again.
Planning errors and missed
deadlines by our columnists will
not result in ill-thought-out edits
in the future. We, as a board, agree
there are a variety of options
available when such a situation
arises — from running reader
letters to adding a syndicated
column.
We, as a board, regret the
mislabeling of the piece as an
editorial and apologize for the
harm it has caused.
As a newspaper, we are
obligated to deliver accurate and
fair content to our readers.
Mislabeling Tuesday’s story as
an editorial board piece infringes
on this obligation and negatively
impacts your ability to trust us.
Reaffirming and strengthening
our editorial board procedures is
also an affirmation of our
responsibilities to you, our
readers. It is a pledge that we will
be a responsible publication.
This editorial represents the opinion
of the Emerald editorial board.
University needs to realize value of ethnic student groups
By Steven Asbury
and Jennifer Carter
Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor
W
'e didn’t write it; we
don’t agree with it; but
we are responsible.
The editorial in
Tuesday’s paper was filled with
racist remarks and demonstrated a
lack of understanding about the true
roles that ethnic student unions play
on this campus.
It was wrong, it was insensitive,
and we could not regret it more.
We all attend a university that is
essentially a white student union.
Because of this, the many ethnic
student unions we have here fill a
major gap. They provide safe
environments for discussion about
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Fri
day during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday dunng the sum
mer by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University
of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon A member of the Associated Press, the
Emerald operates independently of the University with offices at Suite
300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is private property The
unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law.
Editor-In-Chief: Steven Asbury
Managing Editor Jennifer Carter Night Editor Doug Irving
Community: Jennifer Schmitt, editor. Christian Hill. Doug living
Entertainment: Nicole Kreuger, editor Jesse Stephenson
Higher Education: Shana Cohn, editor Tamyra Howser, in-depth.
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Opinion: Ashley Bach, editor Chris Hutchinson, illustrator
Brian Diamond. Larry Haftl. Sonja Sherwood
Politic*: Shana Cohn, editor Doug Irving
Student Activities: Krisbn Bailey, editor Angie Suchy, Tom Potter
Sports: MarV McTyre. editor Andrea DeYoung, assistant editor
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Copy Desk: Thom Schoenborn. copy chief. Sarah Kickler, Paul Mez
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Presentation: Dennis Bolt, editor Matt Garton
Photography: Mathew Stiffler, editor. Andrew Brackensick.
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Freelance: Lara Pittman, editor On-Line: Nicholas Stiffler
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issues and experiences that people of
color face each day as members of the
University community — issues and
experiences that white members of
the community do not have to face.
All students can attend the events
these groups organize and be a part of
the dialogues they initiate. Whether
they choose to do so, however,
should not be the responsibility of
student union members.
It is not their responsibility to
educate white people about racism.
White people need to examine their
own internalized racist beliefs.
Situations of anger and hurt — such
as that which Tuesday’s editorial
created — have caused just that.
Examining Tuesday’s edit also
made us think about what it implies
about student fee allocation on this
campus. The editorial suggested
student unions are inactive and
isolationist. This is not true.
The University should be a place
that fosters various ideas and
maintains an atmosphere where all
people feel comfortable. Student
groups need to exist and receive
student fees because they are key to
creating a marketplace of ideas. We
wholeheartedly support the full
funding of student unions.
While the Oregon Daily Emerald
has reached gender equilibrium, it
remains a primarily white institution.
It is a reflection of the lack of
diversity on the campus, but this is
no excuse.
Over the next few days, we will all
be doing some soul-searching. We
realize that fixing racism on this
campus and in our institution cannot
be accomplished just by going to
events on cultural diversity. This is
part of a longer process of education
that the Emerald will implement in
staff meetings and in daily newsroom
procedures. It is our duty to make
sure that future editorials and news
stories do not perpetuate racist
stereotypes or attitudes.
Next term the Emerald will be
adding a multicultural issues reporter
to the staff. Applications for this
position can be picked up at our
office in EMU Suite 300 beginning
next week.
This column represents the opinion
of the editor and managing editor of
the Oregon Daily Emerald.
Combating prejudice
some guidelines
USTEN to yourself. Know your
prejudices and learn to recognize
them when they emerge in your
thoughts or actions.
CHALLENGE yourself. Ask your
self if your prejudices are
inappropriately guiding your
thoughts or actions. Answer
honestly.
EDUCATE yourself. Read about,
talk about and talk to people who
are different; people about whom
you are likely to develop
prejudices. Learn as much as you
can so that you’re better able to
recognize and challenge your
prejudices.
ACT against prejudice. When you
see it, in yourself or others, do
something about it.
— Keith Woods
Journalist
LETTERS
Ignorant journalism
First of all, we would like to express our
utter disgust and frustration with the edito
rial regarding the problem of racism on
campus. It is true that we, as students of
color, must deal with problems of intoler
ance and prejudice in our daily lives. How
ever, it is not true that we are falling short
of what is needed to educate the campus
and community.
Perhaps if some of the editorial staff
members, as well as other students on cam
pus, would take the time to attend some of
the ethnic student union activities, they
would know we do not simply entertain
ourselves, nor do we cater to our own com
munities. The editorial you printed dis
played the exact type of racism we are
struggling to overcome through the efforts
of cultural and political programming.
Your headline. “Racism is a problem that
needs teamwork, not just teams” is a con
tradictory statement in itself because the
article not only puts down student union
efforts, but also stereotypes students of col
or. Furthermore, if the editorial staff knew
of the coalition-building between the stu
dent unions that has grown over the last
few years, it would not make blanket state
ments about being isolated. The very fact
you have written such an ignorant editorial
through irresponsible journalism exempli
fies how certain members of our campus
community fall short of reaching out for
the education we are “supposed to pro
vide.”
That is a major misconception. Students
of color are not here to do the bulk of mul
ticultural education. That is the job of the
numerous departments on campus who
continually fail to represent our experi
ence. We are dedicated to our causes and
work tirelessly with little recognition.
Moreover, our struggles do not end at the
University, where our first priority is to
graduate like every other student here.
In the future, when attempting to exam
ine the problems of racism on this campus,
don’t spew your rhetoric in an inflammato
ry manner. Know what you are talking
about. For example, what in the hell is an
"Hispanic-American”?
Andrea Adams
Political Science
Angelica Romero
Sociology and Psychology