SPORTS Rising star Stanford's Kristin Folkl, as one of the Pac 10’s most ipowerful volleyball players, proves she’s got the killer instinct PAGE 7 AWARENESS & Restroom message New urinal screens in EMU and fra ternity bathrooms emphasize male involvement in rape prevention PAGE 3 B THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1997 TODAY The University will sponsor actii 'Hies for the Notional Young Women 's Day of.Action WEATHER Today Chance of showers High 59. Low 44. Friday Chance of rain High 57. Low 47. Community Activism ITT 4 CHAD PATTESON/Emerald Citizens involved in the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality match through Eugene’s downtown mall Wednesday. Marchers protest police action The march was part of a national effort to raise awareness about police behavior By Michael Burnham Community Reporter More than one hundred people united Wednesday afternoon to march the streets of downtown Eugene to protest against po lice brutality. The Eugene march was in recognition of the second annual National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality. The march was or ganized by a New York City-based organi zation called the October 22 Coalition. Eugene’s version of the march drew pro testers of all ages, and some of them brought their dogs or carried signs in protest of police behavior. Others donned elaborate costumes, with one person dressed as a tree and another dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Some marchers dressed as mocking effigies of Eugene police offi cers, complete with tree branches for billy clubs and plastic badges and helmets. The protest was organized as a non-vio Turn to MARCH, Page 4 CHAD PATTESON/Emerald City Council member Bobby Lee speaks with concerned citi zens after the protesters’ arrival at City Hall. MEChA conference set to mobilize community Identity and cultural issues will be the focus of this year’s Pacific Northwest conference By Kristina Rudinskas Student Activities Reporter Cultural identity, Chicano history, NAF TA and Mesoamerican myths and history are just a few topics that will be discussed at the 1997 MEChA Pacific Northwest Chicano Leadership Conference, beginning on cam pus today in the EMU Ballroom. MEChA chapters from Oregon and Wash ington, as well as high school students, com munity leaders and interested organizations, will represent the Pacific Northwest. “Overall it is just to educate people about Chicanos and Latinos and the issues they face on campus, in the community, in the re gion and across the nation," explained An dres Barajas, internal coordinator for the University’s MEChA chapter. The Gardenburger boycott was discussed at last year’s regional conference and was brought to wide-spread attention at the Na tional MEChA conference. It will be dis cussed again this year as an important issue in the regional caucuses. MEChA chapters may also plan an event for the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexi can-American War and reestablished the re lationship between the two countries. Friday will highlight a keynote address from human rights activist Rocky Rodriguez of the National Xicano Human Rights Coun cil. She will discuss self-determination and spiritual development. Chicano history seminars and panel dis cussions on Chicano and Latino identities and contemporary Chicano issues will con tinue through Friday afternoon. James Garcia, assistant director of Multi cultural Affairs at the University of Oregon, will discuss theGANAS program he helped Turn to MECHA, Page 3 UO plans for ethnic major in ‘98 Students who support the new major hope the program will bring tolerance to campus By Laura Cadiz Higher Education Editor The University joined the ranks of all the other Pac-ll) universities by adding the ma jor of ethnic studies to the College of Arts and Sciences. The Oregon State System of Higher Edu cation board approved the major Friday; before then, the University was the only Pac-10 college without such a major. ‘‘This is an incredible thing for the Uni versity," Multicultural Center co-director Jay Breslow said. “The ethnic studies de partment will bring so much to the Univer sity; it will help with racial discrimination on campus. “The only way to get past that is through education and reading about our different cultures." Faculty and students of the College of Arts and Sciences started the push for the major years ago, said Joe Stone, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. It will be able to offer the major by fall term of 1998. According to Robert Wasson, the multi cultural advocate for the ASUO, the major is long overdue. “I believe the University seriously lacks diversity in both students and faculty,” he said. “Not counting international students, only 11 to 12 percent of the student body is students of color. While that may be a re flection of the state, I think the University should have higher goals that reflect the state’s diversity.” Students majoring in ethnic studies will be taking courses in anthropology, history, literature and music that all relate to ethnic issues. “It’s an interdisciplinary program,” Stone said. “The fundamental idea behind the program is to explore the origins and evolution of particular ethnic ideas but in the context of American experience over all.” Students who support the addition of the major said they hope the major will bring a new type of tolerance to the campus. “I think students will gain a greater un derstanding of what it means to be an eth nic minority,” Breslow said. “They will gain a history of America that hasn’t been studied before. That will probably be one of the richest and most exciting majors on campus.” Stone echoed Breslow’s anticipations for the major. “It will give students a deep understand ing of the role of ethnic identity in Ameri can culture and give some students a chance to explore their own identity,” Stone said. Currently, the college is conducting a na tionwide search for a director for the pro gram. Stone said the college hopes to have the position filled by spring term.