News
Shakeup
continued from page 1
allowed to comment on what will happen to
the administrators after their contracts
expire because those are “personnel mat-
ters”.
Culturally Insensitive?
Following the publishing of the Register-
Guard article, the UO Native American
student body, with help from other student
recruiting and retention, as well as directly
connecting with Indians from the Reserva-
tions.
Ada Ball, a representative of the Native
American Student Union and Tom’s niece,
says the move was culturally insensitive.
“Now they want one person at the VP
level to oversee everything,” she says. “We
feel that person wouldn’t be able to ade-
‘Now they want one person at the VP level to
oversee everything. We feel that person wouldn’t
be able to adequately address all our needs’
groups and community organizations,
organized and carried out a protest on Jan.
7, the first day of classes for the winter
term. The group is also circulating a petition
for students to sign in support of Gary, Her-
nandez and Ball.
According to Shay Macy, a representative
for the Native American student body, Ball
was irreplaceable.
She notes that Ball was essential to
quately address all our needs.”
A Lack of Communication?
While his predecessor had a reputation for
reaching out to communities of color, Pres-
ident Gottfredson has cast a different
impression in the eyes of some students.
Ada Ball says that communication
between the President’s Office and the
Native American community is lacking. She
says she has yet to meet the
President this school year
and has only seen him once
at a community parade.
Sign The Skanner News
In response to allegations
petition to President Obama,
that she and the President’s
offices haven’t done enough
“A Marshall Plan for Black
outreach with communities
America,” at the
of color, Alex-Assensoh
notes that she arrived on
“We the People…” website:
campus in August of 2012,
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov
the same time as President
Gottfredson.
“While I cannot speak for what has hap-
pened in the past, I will happily affirm my
respect for community members as well
as my colleagues at OEI and my sincere
interest in engaging in dialogue on the
issues that I am at liberty to discuss,” says
Alex-Assensoh.
A “Distributed Model”
While the communication disconnect has
rubbed some students the wrong way, many
are even more concerned about what the
new “distributed model” entails.
“I think the struggles that people go
through racially are very unique from the
struggles people go through with sexual
identity, or being a non-traditional student
or having a disability,” says Harris.
Alex-Assensoh says that while a focus on
diversity is a good first step, it’s not suffi-
cient in itself.
“Diversity focuses primarily on ensur-
ing that people of different backgrounds are
present in an organization, but it does not
focus intentionally on whether or not people
have voices in the decisions, policies and
processes that are significant in bringing
about change,” she says in her email state-
ment.
According to Alex-Assensoh, the OEI is
trying to put in place a more focused
approach that will be led by directors rather
than assistant vice presidents, which is what
they’ve done with other OEI units.
She wouldn’t comment on whether the
administrators did anything to earn the dis-
continuing of their contracts, once again
citing “personnel matters”.
Where Will Students Go?
Many students expressed a level of inti-
macy they felt with the administrators and
wondered what will fill that void in the
midst of the restructuring.
Helen Marie
Yvette Alex-Assensoh
In response, Alex-Assensoh says there
will be people in the OEI and other places at
the university to discuss culturally specific
issues, but didn’t specify beyond that.
She says there is a plan to expand the
services OEI provides, as well (Read more
about this in the online version). Alex-
Assensoh emphasizes that the change is
designed to fit the needs of students.
However, Ada Ball suggests that this
restructuring doesn’t take students’ views
into account.
“We understand that part of the reason for
Tom’s position is the unique need for him at
this school,” she says. “We feel that by hav-
ing him in this position, it gave us strength
while we’re at this school. It was seen as
something to aspire to.”
Trust
While some students have expressed a
sense of distrust, Alex-Assensoh wants to
reassure them that she’s
ready to reach out.
“Trust is the result of not
only dialogue, but action,”
Lawson-Tanner
she writes. “I am looking
forward to continuing my
dialogue with various com-
munities of color and
others, benefiting from their
expertise and moving for-
ward in ways that allow
them to see the utility and
benefit of the changes.”
Harris is skeptical.
Memorial Service:
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Place: Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church
238 NE Mason, Portland, Oregon 97212
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Survived by son: George W. Brown.; grandchildren: Lori
Brown, Yulonda Chapman, Cesario Chapman and Marcel
Roshto; great grandchildren: Kiara Sanders and Christopher
Hunt; sister: Jean Blocker; brother: George W. Lawson; and
a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and
friends.
Gone But Never Forgotten....
We miss and love you dearly!
“I’m hoping this is just a
cultural barrier that needs to
be explained,” he says.
“When I got here to the
university I didn’t expect to
be around to watch minority
services dwindle and falter
this much.”
This is a significantly
abbreviated version of this
story. The full version is
available online.
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Page 6 The Portland Skanner January 16, 2012