OCR Text |
Show Signpost Page 5 Editorial May 12, 1978 Indian student group quits AS WS C memb er ship The Inter-tribal Indian Students' of Weber State College as of May 10, 1978, do resign as a member organization of the Associated Students of Weber State College. We cite the following reasons: Disregard for the unique as well as the common, basic needs of Indian students. Indian students have not been consulted concerning what they want or need, nor asked for input on overall campus projects. The recruiting of Indian students for various committee positions has been neglected. Indian people, like all other students, need the experience of active participation within the system. These kinds of experiences are imperative if the Indian is to feel confident and competent when he leaves this institution to work in another institution. Disregard for the actual or potential skills and talents of Indian students results in a tremendous loss in human resources for this institution and society ... to say nothing of the individuals who find themselves awash in a hostile environment, more candidates for dropping out than for demonstrating talent and ability. The learning fare which the system serves up is determined by a corps of decision makers, many of whom are not adequately trained or even familiar with the needs and abilities of culturally different students. Ignorance, paternalism and sometimes abusive attitudes operate within this system, denying the Indian equal opportunities to learn from others and to teach others. There is an old Indian saying, "You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any any man who was born a free man should be content penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases." These words can be well applied to negative attitudes and restrictions the Indian has to overcome today. When you educate and train a student in their field, why not give them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience? Weber State College is a good school to learn the white man's Yampa river trip It's not too early to make plans to participate in the Yampa-Green River Expedition next June sponsored by the Weber State College Division of Continuing Education, officials said today. "The expedition is limited to 38 people of senior high school student age and older," said Jay Bachman, director of short courses for the WSC Division of Continuing Education. Dates of the expedition are June 5 through 9. The five-day, 75 mile river run is from Deerlodge Park, Colorado, through Dinosaur National Monument to Split Mountain, Utah. Bachman said hikes to special locations will feature a primitive ceramics workshop, the study of indigenous animal life, field botany, survival techniques, and a study of the rare geological features of the area. A pre-departure orientation will be held by Continuing Education officials May 26 at 7 p.m., in the WSC Science Center, Room 130. Cost per person is $275. A $25 deposit must be made by May 12, Mr. Bachman said. way of life, but there is lack of cultural understanding for the Indians. If the goal and aim of WSC is to educate all students, and student government is a vehicle in which students are educated to be future leaders, then WSC student -government is dismally failing in this endeavor. It is the responsibility of student government to actively recruit, not just tolerate, Indian involvement on this campus. It is ironic that in the land of Zion, where the Indian is con-siered one of the "chosen people," he is treated with such indifference. We have given this action considerable thought and we feel that in all probability we are forfeiting nothing short of a few hundred dollars, which we practically have to beg for each year by "justifying" our individuality and culture. We prefer to think that each year when we produce an Indian Week, we are doing our campus and community a favor. Instead, we leave budget hearings with the feeling that we have reluctantly been granted a favor. This feeling is reinforced when at the end of our week, we can count on two hands the number of non-minority people there. We have concluded that we have lost nothing, but have preserved our dignity. Although many of you acknowledge the importance of the concept of individual differences, your actions convey exactly the opposite. How can you expect to educate future leaders to be valuable to society when they are taught by people who themselves are not well-educated? Ask yourselves this question: Do you honestly believe that you are always going to be able to avoid us? I daresay, whatever field any of you ultimately end up in, you are going to have to deal at some time with culturally different people. It would be to your advantage that you learn to work with us instead of against us. We realize that many ot these barriers are often components of the mainstream culture, and although they may not have been deliberately raised in the path of the culturally different, they nevertheless operate to hinder full development of a healthy productive society. I will leave you with this thought: Criticism is useful only when the person criticized feels he has been helped. Respectfully Submitted, Russel Huntsalong President IISO Katie Stowell Peer Counselor .jw-.w-. JSJT'-'U'-W-.IWUW'-.. J I IJPJI PI II J JPI.U..II I.IIJI MJII...II. . .' HI llll'IWaWHWWIWIHUB Fashion- kf Colors! v-v-f Angels Flight for the rlV J ' 4 . ; young man who is ; ! a fe ' 1 "dressing up and fr' M - Vi-ifefeS' cleaning up." A unique -u-V approach to fashion iz4L 1? ' with specifically - - F" i f selected fabrics and 't : colors. A completely : different fit and i 4" silhouette. . .gives - xfiSSCE ' ! k -:' you the most exciting pi r J ' new idea in young mW& h V I ' men's fashions. haJawHTp1 I I 1 ' Blazer $52.50 J , Vest $16.00 i i Pant $20.00 SUIT $05 Sizes 36 to 44 regular, also longs. -4QQC klnc CCnn Cn,,K Dri Utah l J LIx 825-7717 or 825-7262 f J I fTI"! fTliorUu Drive-in 1 f J B :ir McTon'ri B II iua voyi ic.o wilt M Special reduced priced tickets. WSC Credit Union. |