University Daily Kansan / Friday, February 14, 1992
5
KU day lessens pre-college fears
Hispanic-American high schoolers find guidance from HALO members
By Ranjit Arab Kansan staff writer
Three years ago when Monique García was a senior at Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita, a guidance counselor not to go to the University of Kansas.
Richard Truillo, Topeka junior, performs a skit about college decisions.
She said that he suggested she go elsewhere for two years and then transfer to KU.
"Because I am Hispanic, he did not think I could handle it uphere," García said.
Her father brought her up to the Lulac National Education Services Center Day at KU, where Hispanic college students discussed common concerns.
Yesterday, as a KU student and Hispanic-American Leadership Organizer, I volunteered.
A Wichita junior, she was one of six HALO members who spoke to about 140 Hispanic-American high school students at the Jayhawk Room in the Kansas Union.
The panel completed the third annual Lulac National Education Services Center Day at the University.
Pearl Rovaris, office of admissions representative, said the center was a government-financed program targeted toward educationally disadvantaged Hispanic-American high school students.
Students from Wichita and Kansas City, Mo., were invited to the program, Rovaris said. Along with the panel discussion, students were given tours of the campus and met with administrators.
Suzanne Racine, HALO president, said the goal of the day was to bring awareness to Hispanic-American high school students.
"We would like them to come to KU." Racine said. "But we are just encouragement them to fill out applications and keep their options open."
Racine said the day also gave high school students a chance to overcome their fears about college life.
"A lot of students are scared of KU
because it is so big," she said. "This allows them to become familiar with our campus and the people, too."
Victor Hernandez, educational counselor for the center, said he talked to the students throughout the year about their college options.
The organization's main concern is to address the 50-percent dropout rate of Hispanic-American high school students nationwide, he said.
Hernandez said the day also gave KU a chance to recruit students.
"It is definitely a tool, and it goes both ways," he said.
Utley Bush, Miami junior, was one of the HALO members who performed
skits for the students
Bush said the main problem in mug schools was a lack of proper guidance.
The day gave students the chance to see how Hispanic students could succeed.
Melinda Arzola, high school junior from Kansas City, Mo., said she did not plan to go to college right after graduation and said she eventually planned to attend.
"At least I have some idea of what it is like to go to college and I am not foggy about it anymore," Arzola said.
For some, Sevier book stirs racial issues
By Andy Taylor
Kansan staff writer
A newly-released book about the April 21 death of a Lawrence American Indian has raised questions about racist attitudes in Lawrence.
"Hitchita! A Documented Story of the Gregg Sevier Homicide" was released last week to KU and Lawrence bookstores.
Sevier, then 22, was fatally shot in April in his home by two Lawrence police officers. One week after the death, a coroner's inquest ruled the homicide justifiable.
him more aware of racism in the community.
Lance Burr, a Lawrence attorney representing the Sevier family, said that reading the book made
The book's author, Jerry Thomas, a retired college instructor living in Hawaii, reprinted transcripts from a city commission meeting, the coroner's inquest and letters written by city, state and federal officials. He spent six months in the Lawrence area gathering information and evidence for the book.
"The book makes everybody, Indian, Black and white, look at themselves and ask 'Are we racist?' he said. "It forces us to consider if we are racists based on our environment and on how we were raised."
In the book, Thomas compares solving racism to recovering from alcoholism.
"I call myself a recovering racist in honor of Mr. Sevier," Burr said. "I like Thomas' analogy of how recovering alcoholics and recovering racists are very similar."
Don Bread, instructor of tribal management at Haskell Indian Junior College, said the book portrayed an accurate view of racial tensions in Lawrence.
"The book tends to reflect the feelings in the community," he said. "People will see that things went wrong and that we are still wanting answers."
After the inquest, American Indians protested the
Lawrence police and district attorney's treatment of the Sevier case. They also protested investigations of the deaths of three American Indians since 1899, which remain unsolved. Their criticism was directed toward the police department and the Lawrence City Commission.
Commissioner John Nalbandian said he did not plan to buy the book because he already had conducted research.
"I hadn't planned on buying one, but I have the transcripts of the coroner's inquest," said Nandaliadan, who is also a KU professor of public administration. "I have had Dan Wildeat (head of the department of natural sciences at Haskell) speak to my class as well as Chief of Police Ron Olin. So I already have a pretty good understanding of the case."
Mike Wildgen, city manager, said he had not read the book.
"I haven't read it, and I'm not planning on buying one," Wildgen said.
Party, not politics Students celebrate Vietnamese culture
Students lay concerns of homeland aside in preparation for New Year's celebration
By Shelly Solon
Kansan staff writer
Celebration temporarily replaces political concerns this semester as the Vietnamese Student Association focuses on activities in honor of the Vietnamese New Year.
The association will perform dragon and traditional dances and have a fashion show at 7:00 tomorrow night at the Kansas Union Ballroom. The program is sponsored by the association, the Office of Minority Affairs and Student Senate.
Michelle Doan, co- vice president of the association, said the group had concentrated the entire semester on planning the program. In addition to the dances and fashion show, there will be a mock Vietnamese wedding.
Doan said that last semester the association, which has about 65 members, concentrated on fighting the deportation of Vietnamese people from camps in Hong Kong and Thailand back to Vietnam.
Doan said that last semester the association sent a petition to President Bush calling for an end to the practice but that no reply had been received.
"He doesn't realize the number of deaths on his head." Doan said.
Because some of her cousins are in the camps, Doan said she would continue to write letters to her senator. She also has written Sen. John Danforth, R-Missouri.
Le Vu. co-ice president, said that most people left Vietnam because of the oppressive conditions and government domination but that other factors, such as the economy, also contributed.
"But the campsaren't any better," Vu said. "They are unsanitary, and
"We want to try to get the club recognized on campus."
Nam Lam
Vietnamese student
association president
health care and food is minimal. The worst part though is that people in the countries who are sending people back know these people will be punished for leaving. They know well what the consequences are and don't care."
Vu said the goal of tomorrow's celebration was to provide the University and members of the association with a sense of the culture.
It is the first time the festival has been open to everyone,he said.
Vu said the association would present a slide show tomorrow to acquaint members with the many facets of Vietnam. He said the association wanted to present a positive side of Vietnam and show that it can be a beautiful place.
Uv said that the group had not redirected its focus but that the political focus became overshadowed by work for the show.
Although the official new year, Tet, was Feb. 4. Nam Lam, president, said the association waited because many members spent the official holiday with their families.
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