Wednesday, March 3, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Panel addresses Native stereotypes
By Dan Curry
Kanson staff writer
When people watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Kansas City Chiefs, or watch children play cowboys and Indians, or see a person play around as a Native American at this year's Late Night with Roy Williams, they're seeing negative stereotypes thriving in U.S. culture.
"Most of these proverbial stereotypes are manufactured racist images that prevent millions of Americans from understanding the past and current authentic human experience of the First Nations peoples," said Cornel Peewardy, assistant professor of teaching and leadership. Peewardy spoke to about 80 people at last night's Diversity Dialogue held at the Kansas Room in the Kansas Union
The dialogue explored how mascots and other stereotypes of Native Americans affected their self-image.
"The mascot issue, though it may seem trite to some, or trivial, it has its roots in racism and cultural imperialism," said Raven Heavy Runner, president of First Nations Student Association. "It affects not only us Native people but our children."
Heavy Runner was part of a panel that lead the discussion. Stereotypes of Native Americans were so prevalent when Heavy Runner grew up that as a child he told people he was a Filipino, he said.
Laurie Ramirez, Lawrence senior, and Josh Arce, Lawrence junior, also were on the panel.
Arce said he remembered being asked
what he thought of the Cleveland Indians and the Atlanta Braves playing in the World Series.
"I guess I didn't feel so bad. I was young," he said. "But it perpetuates a stereotype."
That stereotype had an edge Ace felt even in grade school as he walked toward his uncle's car in a downtown Lawrence parking lot.
"Two Caucasian girls pulled up in their little red sports car," he said. "This girl turned right around and looked at me in the eyes and said, 'It's locked, armed and secured.'
The stereotypes of Native Americans were created by negative images of Native Americans, Arce said.
"We're resilient people, and we've been through a lot of adversity" he said. "Using a picture is like taking away all the history and everything that has been positive in the culture."
Arce said Native Americans needed to do more than protest racist practices in the culture. He said they needed to become their own teachers, doctors and lawyers, as well.
"For us to be justly viewed, we're going to have to start writing our own history books." Arce said.
Ramirez said a group of students and faculty at the University of Kansas were encouraging local institutions to stop using negative images of Native Americans.
The Multicultural Resource Center, the All-Scholarship Hall Council and the KU Coalition Against Racism sponsored the dialogue.
Josh Arce, Lawrence junior; Laurie Ramirez, Lawrence senior; and Raven Heavy Runner, Lawrence senior, discuss their firsthand experiences with racism at last night's second Diversity Dialogue meeting this semester. The segment, which was at the Kansas room in the Kansas Union, dealt with the stereotyping of Native Americans. Photo by Rana Cline/KANSAN
Edited by Steph Brewer
Senate to consider poll-operation bill
Fund to pay for ballots salaries, KUID readers
By Nadia Mustafa
Kansan staff writer
Some student senators are opposed to using student fees to rent KUID readers for the Student Senate elections in April.
A large portion of the funds, $1,920, would pay for ballots and poll workers' salaries, while the remaining $800 would end up in the hands of the administration as rental fees for four readers.
Student Senate will consider a bill tonight to provide the elections commission with $2,720 in student fees to operate polling sites at Gertrude Sellards-Pearson Hall, Corbin Hall and Ekdahl Dining Commons.
The administration agreed yesterday to foot $2,055 of the $2,855 rental fee for the readers during the elections.
The administration's portion of the bill would pay for wiring and installation, while students would have to pay the $800 rental fee and a possible $25 network activation fee.
Lindy Eakin, associate provost, said the administration would purchase four readers for $4,000 and rent them to the elections commission in April. He said the student body had partial responsibility in financing the use of
readers because the elections were student-oriented.
"The question is about what's reasonable," Eakin said. "We'll pay for the infrastructure, and they'll pay out-of-pocket costs. This is a partnership."
He said the administration would incur additional costs to facilitate the use of readers duri-
big Senate elections such as the cost of maintaining the new readers and about $800 for the installation of eight additional dial-in modem connections in the computer center.
Eakin said the administration would use the new readers as back-up
machines or provide them to other groups on a temporary basis in the future.
"This is the kind of thing we wanted to use the KUIDs for," he said. "It gives a technical solution to an operating problem we've always had that was enormously time-consuming."
In addition to the four readers that the elections commission will rent from the administration, it will borrow two readers from the Department of Student Housing and two from the KU Card Center to operate all eight campus polling sites.
Matt Dunbar, holdover senator, said students should not have to pay for readers. He said this was another example of the difficulties associated with the Smartcard system.
"I'd prefer not to spend student money, and instead look to other alternatives to find funding from sources that have more to do with the change (in the KUID system)." Dunbar said.
Amanda Weinberg, elections commissioner, said she was satisfied with the amount of funding the administration had decided to contribute. She said the administration viewed the use of readers as a cost the elections commission would have to incur every year, similar to other operational costs such as hiring poll workers.
Weinberg said the readers would prevent double voting and provide an electronic activity report documenting which students voted at what time and at which polling site. She said the information would make it much easier to gauge statistics and more effectively plan for future elections.
- Senate also will consider a resolution recognizing Marian Washington and Roy Williams for years of dedication and self-sacrifice on behalf of the University and its students.
In addition, Senate will review bills to finance a speaker sponsored by Students for a Free Tibet, KU Filmworks, the International Association of Students in Business and Economics regional conference, and Working Against Violence Everywhere.
Senate will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Jayhawk Room in the Kansas Union.
Edited by Keith Burner
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Congratulations to the KU Mock Trial Team!
Jawn Brown
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We are so PROUD of you for taking 2nd at Regional Competition! Good Luck at the National Competition. From the men and women off.
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SUCCESS SEMINAR
SATURDAY, MARCH 13 ★ 9 A.M. - NOON
MARK YOUR CALENDARS for a Saturday of success! This free event is your chance to learn about paying off student loans, credit cards, and college expenses. You will be able to visit with area Hawk Talk mentors in round table discussions according to careers. Also, get tips on resumes, interviewing skills, and job hunting strategies.
TO ATTEND, register before March 12 by e-mail to saagurus@falcon.cc.ukans.edu
Success Seminar will be held at the Adams Alumni Center.
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Sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and Intrust Bank.