Protection Inspection Here Comes the Bridal Issue Columnist Kelly Zeigler argues companies are in the wrong when it comes to birth control. Getting married? Do you want to someday? If so, or if not, the Chrony offers advice. SEE OPINION, PAGE 4 SEE BRIDAL ISSUE, PAGE Bl jr $JlJ 'jF f Gator Gutting The Ute gymnastics team was near Perfect against Florida. SEE SPORTS, PAGE 13 The Daily Utah G RON G 1 H J J "The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890" Tuesday, February 23, 1999 Vol. 108 No. 105 Politics as Usual: 3 Grievances Filed With Registrar Jacob Parkinson Chronicle News Writer 0 uameron Soelberg Dan Anderson L4 vtC - PRES ---- - - . .JL, OkV I placement of the Convergence Party sign on Wasatch Drive is the subject of a grievance by the United Partjk. 77?e Black Awareness Month Kicks Off at U Colby Era Chronicle News Writer Words and language are a part of everyday life and social interaction. They have consequences and responsibilities that go along with them. According to Sofia Villenas, from the department of educational studies, "What is said about a group becomes a reality of their life." "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me," is the theme of Black Awareness Month at the University of Utah. The panel conference Monday opened the week by discussing early education of children. The theme was changed based on an article The Daily Utah Chronicle published in October, according to Wilford Samuels, former director of African Studies at the U. The article was based on a phantom panel consisting of Lawrence Taylor, Mike Tyson and Billy Hunter. What offended students and staff was the implications of Tyson's speech. "He spoke in what was meant to be ebonies or a black dialect. I call it Samuels mono-syllab- non-sense- ," ic said. According to a Newsweek article referenced by Samuels, Tyson is very articulate with his speech. Tina Johnson, a student at the U, was offended because the article was reported to have brought in a "diverse" panel. "It was poorly done and showed lack of respect for people's language, period," she said. When she approached the paper concerning the article she was shooed away, she says. She claims she was basically told, "Get over it." The Chronicle editorial staff denies this claim. The panelists present all agreed that for these reasons, education should begin early. According to Richard Lane, from the department of English, "Words construct reality, not just reflect it." Lane has heard many oppressive comments in his classroom. He wants to teach students to think in d and ways. Lane spoke of an incident in Michigan in which a student wrote a fictional story about a female in his class who was raped and murdered. He then he posted it on the Internet. Lane said the case is currently in the Supreme Court. "Free speech is never free of responsibility," Lane said. Villenas spoke on the faculty involvement in discrimination. She non-sexi- st non-biase- pointed out terms teachers use without a second thought. "Terms like 'unmotivated,' 'uninterested,' 'disadvantaged,' and 'limited English proficienVillenas cy.'" suggested alternative d like "language-enrichephrases peers." Jackie Thompson from the state Office of Education spoke on programs to educate teachers. She promoted a quarterly publication teachers can receive free: "Teaching Tolerance." These programs arc infused into the current curriculum as opposed to setting up a whole new program. Thompson also quoted a booklet titled "Principles for Equity in Utah's Public Schools." Teachers may promote respect for diversity by valuing and challenging all learners, expecting students to com'at-ris- k' municate and making connections within and between academic subjects and the increasingly diverse world outside school. "We live in a diverse state," Thompson said. People need to respect cultur- and develop empathy by in someone else's ourselves putting al diversity shoes, she said. The words of Dr. Martin Luther King were echoed at the discussion: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." During the first school day of open campaigning for the Associated Students of the University of Utah 1999 elections, three grievances were filed. On Saturday, posters were placed all over the U, and by Monday at 10:30 a.m. two of the three parties and the only independent candidate on the ballot had filed grievances with Elections Registrar Eva Michelle Hunter. The first grievance filed was by Galo Ramirez because of the placement of a Convergence Party banner on Wasatch Drive. "A short time after we had placed our banner, a Convergence Party banner was placed directly in front of it. Its banner blocks the view of our banner from Northbound Wasatch Drive, except for a split second as you pass it," Ramirez wrote. "We have spoken with ConverPresidential candidate gence Cameron Soelberg and asked him to move his sign, which he refused to do. We mentioned to him that we would not be opposed to his sign being next to ours, where both could be seen from all directions. He still refused," Ramirez wrote. "I think the posting of our banner is in accordance with the rules. Really, it only obstructs the banner for a moment," Soelberg said. "My initial reaction was: the campus is big, there is plenty of space to put up banners. I thought it was kind of childish to put it there on the same spot," United Party Presidential Candidate Ben McAdams said. "We wanted a third party to look at it to decide how the issue is going to be resolved," McAdams said. "I will rely on the registrar on to make the decision," Soelberg said. "I told the United Party that I didn't have a problem with the placement of the sign. I believe the Convergence Party is within its rights," Hunter said. Hunter is also an employee at The Daily Utah Chronicle. The United Party did not ask for a fine. It just wanted the situation analyzed, McAdams said. "We are only going to file grievances on important issues," Soelberg said. The party did file a grievance two hours later. Near the end of the "Meet the Can didates" social held in the A. Ray Olpin University Union Thursday, the United Party left its banners outside the Union Ballroom against a pillar. The rules established by the regis- trar stated the party banners could only be displayed during the social and only inside the ballroom. "The banners remained in this position for at least 30 minutes and were only removed after the election's registrar prompted the United Party's presidential candidate, Ben McAdams, to do so," Soelberg wrote in the grievance. "Because of the nonchalant attitude with which the United Party treated the elections registrar's rules for the event, and the number of students that were potentially, if not in actuality, influenced by the displayed banners, we feel that our Party and the Reconstructionist Party were placed at a disadvantage." Reconstructionist Party Presidential Candidate Joyce Stuart feels the signs had little or no influence on students. Soelberg then asked the Elections Committee to place a fine on the United Party. Elections policy states the maximum fine for this type of violation is $15 per banner. The Reconstructionist Party has yet to file a grievance or have one filed against it. "It's nice because we don't have the money to spend on fines," Stuart said. "The Convergence Party and the United Party seem to be the two competitive parties. We arc staying out of it. We put our posters off by themselves," she said. The independent candidate for Senior Class President, Jackson Rose, filed a grievance because many of his campaign pictures were defiled and some were removed completely. Rose complained of a poster on which, written across his chin, was the word "dork." "As registrar all I can do is reiterate to other candidates that is inappropriate behavior. We don't even know that it was a candidate who did it," Hunter said. All of the filed grievances should be reviewed by the Elections Committee today during a hearing. The Elections Committee will also vote on whether or note fines will be issued. ASUU Candidates Face off in First Debate; Party Diversity Discussed Jacob Parkinson Chronicle News Writer All aspects of university life were discussed at the ASUU elections debate Monday, but the main issue was diversity. Candidates from all three parties talked openly about diversity at the U. Each group claims it is more diverse and as the administration of the Associated Students of the University of Utah they can better represent the student body. The Reconstructionist is more diverse because it represent a female THE DAILY UTAH ONLINE and male; an undergraduate and a graduate student, Reconstructionist Presidential Candidate Joyce Stuart said. "We need to have ASUU represent the demographics of the U," United Party President Ben McAdams said. "Eighty percent of the candidates from the Convergence Party arc greek meaning they arc a part of the U fraternity and sorority groups. That is not a diverse group," McAdams said. "We have greek students in our party. We have people of color and race too. Our idea is to get all students involved," Convergence Party Presidential Candidate Cameron Soelberg said. CHRONICLE IS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT "It was inappropriate for McAdams to bring up the 'greek'" issue at the debate, Soelberg said. "You can stereotype people in a lot of ways, but if you look seriously at our party you'll see we represent all the sec debate page WWW.chrOnicle.Utah.eClU 3