Oregon daily emerald., April 07, 2004, Image 1

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Wednesday, April 7, 2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 128
Blazing new trails
Danielle Hickey Photo Editor
(Left to right) Junior Gabriela Romero, freshman Lorena Landeros and junior Brenda Sifuentez attend their Mujeres meeting in the MEChA office
Tuesday evening. The group is an offshoot of MEChA, the official Chicano/Chicana campus organization.
Mujeres is a support group for
first-generation Latina college
students who could use extra
guidance from their peers
By Moriah Balingit
News Reporter
Although many believe college is a
challenging experience for all students,
extra obstacles sometimes exist for Latina
students who are the first in their families
to enter the world of higher education.
But first-generation Latina students at
the University have Mujeres, a student
group and source of support they may
not even know about.
The group is an offshoot of MEChA and
has been established for several years. It has
achieved significant growth this year, draw
ing an increase in membership and estab
lishing its own office space in the EMU.
Mujeres member Gabriela Romero, a
junior Spanish major, is originally from
Morelia, Michoacan. Because her parents
never attended college, she was left with
out the benefit of their experience when
she began to navigate the increasingly
complex waters of college admissions.
"They didn't really help me with the
process of applying," she said.
When she sought help from a college
admissions counselor at her high school,
she found little help.
"He offered me help to go to commu
nity college," she said.
Like Romero, freshman pre-education
major Lorena Landeros was the first in her
family to attend college, and she also felt a
Turn to MUJERES, page 8
Forum covers
9/11 aftermath
Anti-American sentiment has increased
in the Middle East since the Sept. 11 attacks,
said three professors at a panel Tuesday
By Beau Eastes
Freelance Reporter
Three University professors joined together Tuesday night to
lead "The Invasion — One Year After: Continuing Challenges to
the Quest for Stability and Security," a two-hour conversation ex
amining the effects the war is having on perceptions of the United
States abroad.
The panel, sponsored by the Wayne Morse Center for Law and
Politics, included University law Professor Ibrahim Gassama, Uni
versity geography Professor Alexander Murphy and University In
ternational Studies Professor Anita Weiss.
"In retrospect, those that opposed the invasion of Iraq and its
occupation were insufficiendy pessimistic," Gassama said in his
opening statement.
'The intervendon in Iraq ... can be described as a perfect failure."
Gassama, who spoke first and primarily on Iraq, offered three *
conclusions about the Iraq situation to the audience in Room 175
of the Knight Law Center.
First, Gassama argued the Iraq situation "already exceeds the
worst fears of those who argued that this was the wrong way to
fight terrorism, the wrong way to enhance U.S. influence ... or to
build the most secure domesdc or international environments. "
Gassama characterized the ongoing occupation as a "glorious
mess" as American and Iraqi death tolls rise daily. He warned that
the administration's concessions of power in the region are noth
ing but politically motivated shams.
"Nothing will change except tides," Gassama said, concerning
the administration's current plan to turn over control to the Iraqis
in less than 90 days. "These people are on a mission to transform
the world."
Gassama ended his discussion by warning Democrats that a
simple regime change in America won't immediately change the
world's opinion of the country.
"A bad policy is a bad policy is a bad policy," Gassama said. "A
political solution is the only way out."
Murphy examined the Bush administration's dealings with Iran.
Lumping Iran in the "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea was
akin to "screaming we know nothing of the complexities of the
Turn to IRAQ, page 7
Seniors lose PR campaign class
Some journalism seniors found themselves
shut out of the last class in their PR sequence
and are now forced to take a substitute class
By Chelsea Duncan
Senior News Reporter
Students who don't plan ahead for graduation can find
themselves in sticky situations, which is why University de
partment heads encourage students to give themselves
plenty of time to complete requirements.
A number of journalism seniors specializing in public
relations found themselves unable to complete their se
quence of required classes, as too many students tried to
cram into the only section of "Public Relations Cam
paigns" this term. As a result, the School of Journalism and
Communication gave about eight students the opportuni
ty to substitute the requirement with a journalism school
general-requirement course.
"What we've done by offering the substitute is to make it
possible to graduate within their time frame," journalism
school Assistant Dean for Student Services Greg Kerber
said.
But the option to take the substitute course, which fo
cuses on media management and economics, has left stu
dents worried they won't receive the same quality of edu
cation.
"I'm taking a class that really has nothing to do with my
interest," senior public relations major Kerri Morgan said.
"That's somewhat disappointing and not the best use of
my time."
The seniors' only other option is to finish the sequence
in the fall.
Visiting Assistant Professor Tom I lagley, who is teach
Turn to PR, page 7
Visiting Assistant
Professor Tom
Hagley teaches
Public Relations
Planning and
Problems, a
prerequisite to the
required Public
Relations Campaigns
class.
Tim Bobosky
Photographer
WEATHER
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NOFX visits
Eugene to rally
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