Wise
continued from page 1
has been speaking out on issues
dealing with racial, class and oth
er forms of discrimination. He has
lectured since 1994, and recently
founded a group called the Asso
ciation for White Anti-Racist Ed
ucation, which educates white
Americans about their stake in the
ongoing institutional racism in the
country. It was this theme that
Wise focused on the most.
Beginning by stating what he
was not going to talk about — di
versity — Wise made it clear that
his focus instead was on equity.
“It’s not about holding hands,”
Wise said. “It is about first and
foremost understanding the insti
tutional and structural barriers
that prevent diversity.”
According to Wise, in order to
make sure diversity is followed
by racial, social and gender equal
ity, people must first recognize
that racism and other forms of dis
crimination are systems that have
been established within Ameri
can society and are perpetrated by
those in power.
Audience member Crystal Mid
dlestadt, a sophomore majoring in
sociology and women’s studies,
said she saw this message as one
of the main themes in Wise’s
speech.
“I thought he made a really
good point about the members of
dominant groups in society not
realizing their role in the oppres
sion of others,” she said.
Diversity may exist in Ameri
can society, Wise said, but all the
constituent parts may not be on
the same level. “Institutions are
more diverse than ever before, but
yet we certainly do not have a sys
tem of equity,” he said.
Equity is the idea that diversity
not only should exist, but all di
verse parts of the society should
be on equal footing.
“If the word diversity is sepa
rated from the word equity, it be
comes meaningless,” he said.
Just as working environments
are diverse yet can be without eq
uity, the school system is in much
the same boat. Children of differ
ent colors may be learning togeth
er, but they are placed on different
paths based on preconceived no
tions, he said.
“It’s about taking responsibility
now, about undoing what has
been done,” he said.
Taking responsibility means
looking at the system and break
ing it down. Mary Hudzikiewicz
worked with the ASUO to bring
Wise to Eugene and is an advisor
to the senior honor society, the
Friars. She said she felt that Wise
made a good point about the need
to take a look at what is going on
and doing something about it.
“It’s something that you have to
internalize; it’s not just something
you can say,” she said.
Wise tied in issues about eco
nomic and gender inequalities
along with his speech on institu
tional racism. “It is in our best in
terest to stand up against racism,”
Wise said. “You need to start
standing up now.”
Wise will be holding a town
hall panel discussion tonight at 7
p.m. in the Ben Linder Room of
the EMU.
Insurance
continued from page 1
University Health Center. “The
fact is they are much more at risk
for not having it than having it.”
“The goal is not only to have
health insurance available, but af
fordable as well,” OUS
spokesman Bob Bruce said.
Elizabeth Dickenson, OUS risk
manager, said that some students
have expressed concern about the
proposal because they already
have insurance. By including
everyone in the same plan, how
ever, the coverage is cheaper,
Dickenson said.
“The plan is to have everyone
under the same basic plan,” she
said. “Even if you have another
carrier... this is better coverage at a
lower cost.”
The proposed coverage also
works with other insurance carri
ers that students may have. For ex
ample, it can be used to satisfy a
deductible, Dickenson said.
Unlike many other insurance
plans, OUS’s recommended plan
does not include a HMO — health
maintenance organization — that
limits who a student can receive
treatment from.
“Students have a right to choose
where they go,” Dickenson said.
Dickenson also said that it’s im
portant to distinguish the basic
and extended coverage plans.
“We’re not requiring that stu
dents have the extended plan,”
Dickenson said.
Because of its lower cost, the pro
posed plan particularly benefits
students who are single parents or
working part-time, Bruce said.
The proposal calls for year
round health coverage that also
supports out-of-state students.
Historically, Portland State Uni
versity has been the only OUS
campus to require students to be
insured. The other campuses have
traditionally had voluntary plans,
Bruce said.
Changes in health care costs,
however, have discouraged stu
dents from participating in the
voluntary programs. Thus, a
smaller risk pool forces insurance
carriers to raise the price of premi
um care, Bruce said.
The OUS proposal deliberately
mandates that all students must
participate in the basic plan,
which creates a risk pool of60,000
students and decreases the premi
um costs, Bruce said.
Assuming the plan is approved
Friday, the task force’s next job
will be to explore an implementa
tion plan, Dickenson said. This in
eludes locating potential insur
ance carriers and seeking bids this
summer. It is the group’s intention
to have a contract signed and the
plan in place by September.
Before the OUS plan can be in
stalled, the state’s three largest
universities must first resolve con
tracts with insurance carriers.
Dickenson estimates that the
mandatory insurance policy
would be implemented in fall
2001 on this campus and at Ore
gon State University and PSU. It
would go into effect at Oregon In
stitute of Technology, Eastern Ore
gon, Southern Oregon, and West
ern Oregon universities this fall.
New Study Comparing MS Treatments
Two multiple sclerosis treatment therapies, used by thousands of
patients, will be compared for the first time in a head-to-head trial
that is endorsed by the National MS Society (www.nmss.org).
If you have relapsing-remitting MS and have never been on inter
feron beta therapy, you may be eligible to participate and
receive at no cost:
• Interferon Beta-1 a drug treatment for at least one year
• Medical examinations (including MRIs)
• Coordinated healthcare with your current doctor
There is no placebo portion of the study (everyone receives active
drug). To find out if you're eligible, please call Jennifer Botelho at
Oregon Health Sciences University at 503-494-7963 or visit
www.mspatient.com.
Make fiwytfdFf arth Day
Support Campus Recycling
steel mug
plastic mug
T-shirt
canvas bags
reusable luijch bags
O/V SA\LE
April 19th & 20th
EMU Courtyard 10am - 4pm
Does your future
include'working with
high-risk youth?
Be a mentor with Bolder Options.
Connect with an adolescent from juvenile court.
$60 per month stipend.
Next mentor training will be held April 29th.
Call Committed Partners for
Youth 344-0833 or e-mail
bolderoptions@hotmail.com
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