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Friday, February 13,2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 99
Driving out hunger
University employees hope to meet a 90,000-pound food donation goal by March
By Ayisha Yahya
News Editor
niversity employees are joining other
state employees to fight hunger in Ore
V—A gon. About 40 different departments are
taking part in the annual Governor's State Em
ployees Food Drive, which started at the begin
ning of the month and runs through March 5.
Hie statewide drive, which is in its 25th year, is
titled "Caring Now ... Hunger Won't Wait!" Do
nations collected at the University will be donat
ed to local foodbank FOOD for Lane County.
"There is a great need in Lane County and in
Oregon generally to feed the hungry," said Of
fice of Governmental Affairs Coordinator Karen
Scheeland, who is organizing this year's drive.
Scheeland said the University aims to collect
90,000 pounds of food. Last year the University
had set a goal of 65,000 pounds, but donated
113,917 pounds.
Participants can collect nonperishable goods,
donate cash, sign up for payroll deductions or
raise money in other creative ways. For instance,
Scheeland said her office has already sold more
than 600 chocolate hearts as part of the fund
raising. Other departments are also selling the
candy hearts for $2.
Some departments come up with interesting
sub-themes to get the staff motivated. In the
Human Resources and Affirmative Action and
Equal Opportunity departments, this year's
theme is R & B, which stands for Rhythm and
Blues or Rice and Beans, according to Human
Resources Benefits Coordinator Lisa Plumb.
"Frankly I think it's really embarrassing that
Oregon is known as the hungriest state in the
nation," Plumb said.
Last year 780,000 Oregonians ate meals from
an emergency foodbox, according to the Gover
nor's food drive Web site, www.govfd.org.
Working with Human Resources Benefits
Specialist Cindi Peterson, Plumb said the de
partments sent out invitations for the food drive
kickoff shaped like old 45 records. She added
that participants can contribute mainly rice and
beans products or donate the equivalent of 45
pounds of food or $7.50.
One dollar can buy six pounds of food, ac
cording to FOOD for Lane County.
Since the drive began, the departments have
already collected 2,646 pounds worth of
V&idkiofT
Danielle Hickey Photo Editor
The Human Resources Center in Oregon Hall is one of many University offices contributing to the Governor’s food
drive. For every dollar donated, six pounds of food can be purchased by FOOD for Lane County.
donations, surpassing last year's total of 1,292
pounds, Plumb said.
In the School of Journalism and Communi
cation, staff members have centered their efforts
on a different food: Spam.
As part of its SPAM! Fest 2004 campaign to
get donations for the drive, the department will
host a "SPAM buffet" Monday, Feb. 16, from 1
p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Leonard Aaron Lounge in
Allen Hall, according to a press release.
The department's Development and External
Relations Program Assistant Libby Miskimins
said at the buffet, which will mimic the show
"Fear Factor," people can sample Spam special
ties, such as Spam cheesecake and possibly even
Spam sorbet, in exchange for a dollar or canned
food donation.
Miskimins said statistics on hunger in Lane
County are shocking.
"It's very likely that someone's neighbor is
hungry right now," she said. She added that
campaigns like the food drive help to create
awareness on hunger issues and help people be
come more involved in the community.
"We need to reach out beyond the campus
community and help the hungry and those in
need," she said.
"It's a tremendous benefit," FOOD for Lane
County spokeswoman DanaTurell said. "Every
year, the University of Oregon is the biggest
contributor from the Governor's food drive."
She said the organization distributes about
six million pounds of food a year and that
about one in five people in the county request
an emergency food box.
Turn to HUNGER, page 12
Archives show University’s path to diversity
The University and Emerald
archives chronicle major
steps including the first black
student and BSU's formation
By Chelsea Duncan
News Reporter
Even though it's located in a
small city in the Northwest, the
University has played its own dis
tinct role throughout the years in
the struggle for racial equality.
As the movement grew, the Uni
versity continued to develop into a
more understanding and accepting
institution. Since Mabel Byrd, the
first black student, attended the
University from around 1917 to
1919, the University has also in
creased its diversity.
University Archivist Heather
Briston said Byrd is generally con
sidered to be the first black student
to attend the University, although
that type of information can be
hard to confirm.
"In this case it was a letter that
one of my predecessors found in
the presidential records," she said.
The University had more than 300
black students in Fall 2003, accord
ing to the Office of the Registrar.
Briston said that the University's
first black faculty member is gener
ally thought to be Charles William
Thomas II, an assistant professor of
rehabilitation counseling from
1963 to 1966.
Significant moments in black
history at the University are also
chronicled in the Emerald archives.
According to the archives, the Black
Student Union was formed around
1967. The purpose of the group is
defined in a brief article published
Feb. 8, 1967, about the newly cre
ated Black Student Association,
which later became BSU.
"The primary purpose of the as
sociation is to unite Afro-American
students at the University," the re
porter wrote. "Participants stressed
Turn to BSU, page 5
MSLF finds
fault with
University
program
A College of Education
master's program tailored
for American Indians
could violate the Constitution
By Lisa Catto
News Reporter
The Mountain States Legal Founda
tion told University General Counsel
Melinda Grier that the College of Educa
tion's Sapsik'wala Program violates the
U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights
Act of 1964.
The Sapsik'wala program is a master's
degree program that prepares American
Indian students to teach in schools that
serve American Indians. The aim of the
program is to lower dropout rates and
raise test scores at schools with high popu
lations of American Indian students.
MSLF President William Perry Pendley
said the use of race or ethnicity as a pre
requisite for the program violates the
U.S. Constitution.
"Oregon's College of Education is filled
with fine students of all races and ethnici
ties, many of limited financial means, who
would love the chance to compete for a
scholarship to teach on an Indian Reserva
tion and to give something back to young
students there," Pendley said. "These edu
cators of the future should not be told that
they are the wrong race to compete for a
University scholarship or to teach their fel
low citizens."
Law Professor John Bonine said the
Mountain States Legal Foundation is go
ing after the wrong entity since the pro
gram is funded by the government. He
said the group has only sent a letter to
the University, and no lawsuit has been
filed to push the program to change.
Calls to the MSLF were not immedi
ately returned.
Sapsik'wala scholarship recipients re
ceive tuition and fees, a monthly stipend
and a book allowance. To qualify for the
scholarship, the applicant must meet
certain ethnic requirements, including
being a member of a recognized Ameri
can Indian tribe or band or being a de
scendant of a member.
The program is part of the University's
Native American Initiative, which en
hances recruiting and retention of Amer
ican Indian students and faculty and in
creases academic support.
MSLF's Web site states the organiza
tion is a nonprofit, public interest legal
center dedicated to individual liberty, the
Turn to MSLF, page 12
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