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Show Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 Utah Campus Voice since 1902 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahst Students and ASUSU leaders examine necessity of new international position By ROB JEPSON and JESSICA SWEAT staff writers International Student Council (ISC) president Christian Orr submitted a bill to the ASUSU Executive Council (ASUSUEC) on Nov. 16 proposing the creation of an international vice president position. The council voted to rewrite the bill, changing the proposal from a full member to an ex-officio, or non-voting position. The modified bill is scheduled to be addressed in tomorrow's council meeting. Representation INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS COMPOSE about 7 percent of USU's population, which is why International Student Council president, Christian Orr, proposed a bill to ASUSU Executive Council to create an new international representative position. International students are involved in dozens of ethnic activities including Salsabration and the Miss international Pageant. Statesman file photos "There are approximately 16,472 students attending the Logan campus of USU," Orr said. "Of those students, 1,069 are international students attending USU. This means that about one out of every 15 students are international. For those 1,069 students, student life is different." According to the Office of International Student Services (OISS), the last time an ASUSU executive council position was designated for the ISC was in 1962. Orr said since that position's elimination, the ISC has been working toward once again being more connected and represented within the ASUSU executive council, especially in the past 15 years. "The focus of ASUSU tends to fall with American minorities and overshadows the international students," Orr said. "My intention is to create the unity that we have lacked." Diverse vs. international Orr, who was elected ISC president in September, said he feels there is a large distinction between diversity students and international students. He said diversity students are those with American citizenship or dual-citizenship. International students are those who do not have American citizenship. ASUSU Diversity Vice President Kaho Fiefia said: "I don't believe there is a distinction between international students and students from USA. The word `diversity' represents all students no matter what or who they are. There is no distinction between their color, sexual orientation, background, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs." ASUSU executive vice president Brent Crosby, who sponsored the bill, said he absolutely sees a distinction between international students and Diversity students. "Diversity covers individuals who are ethnically diverse — mostly American minorities," Crosby said. "The biggest difference I see is entirely different cultures. An African student from Ghana is entirely different than an African American student from say, New York." Crosby also said they were worried that creating a new vice president position would encourage other groups to also petition for vice presidential positions. Anthony "T.J." Pratt, who is a member of the ASUSU Diversity Council and this year's Mr. USU, said he feels like international students are adequately represented by the diversity vice president position. "'Diversity' isn't a specific term," he said. "It's not, 'oh there's multi-cultural for international students and then there's multi-cultural for American students' — 'cause then we'd just be segregating." Pratt said he doesn't see any benefits to creating either a voting or an ex-officio position. Crosby said the biggest reason for creating a position was to integrate international students with the students on campus. "Right now it's like they are on their own island," he said. He said it would be an enormous I See REPRESENT page 4 North and South Korea conflict prompts analysis e origin By CATHERINE MEIDELL news editor As the consequences of North and South Korea's pent-up tension unfold, Korean students, political science professors and others find themselves asking which country is at fault, and what will keep the countries from war. The residual effects of a cold war were recently ignited after lingering tension between North and South Korea provoked North Korea to react. South Korea's military units were put on high alert Nov. 23 when North Korea attacked Yeonpyeong Island with more than 100 artillery shells. Two marines were killed in the line of fire and wounded soldiers and civilians totaled 18. In defense, South Korea opened artillery fire back to North Korea, and the once-quiet fishing island was abandoned by many of its residents who have not yet returned. "It is difficult to say who is right and who is wrong in this," said Kai He, a USU professor of Asian politics. When North Korea opened fire on South Korea, they felt it was an action of defense because South Korean warships were found in waters too close to their land, he said. This provoked North Korea to feel unsafe, which is why their reaction was "nuclear," Kai said. "It's not the right behavior, but it is rational," Kai said. "No one can control North Korea, that's the danger right now. They are a sovereign nation." "When I saw the explosion on CNN, it was bad," said USU student and native South Korean Jun Hee Han. "It didn't look like they were just protecting themselves, they destroyed an entire village." Logan resident and native of China, Ansheng, said he doesn't believe North Korea set out to kill many people through the attack on Yeonpyeong, but rather to say "don't push me too hard." They want surrounding countries to know they are not weak, he said. East Asian politics professor Heiyun Fung said she agrees North Korea's behavior was rational, because their country needs protection. "They need security," Fung said, "but by attacking South Korea they are asking for it in a way that is not tasteful." Han served two and a half years in the South Korean Air Force, and said he is upset with the North Korean government. His immediate family currently resides in Seoul, the South Korean capital where he grew up, and some relatives live in North Korea, but none of his family members know if they are alive, Han said. Han's uncle fled from North Korea, leaving his family behind, and has not been able to speak with them since. Han would like to see the two countries unite as one because brothers and sisters, parents and children, are fighting against each other. "Before what happened now, I felt sorry for North Korea," Han said. "Their government isolates the whole country so nobody can move. Their people suffer and starve." USU student Jeng Kim, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Seoul, said his cousin was not allowed take leave from his mandatory two years of military service to see his family because the tension between North and South Korea is so high. Those who put off their required time in the South Korean military are considered outcasts, Kim Inside This Issue 1953 Demarcation Line Pupo-ri North Korean submarine base Baegryeong? Daecheong Socheong AREA Seoul Yellow Sea N. KOREA' Sea Japa ► Pyongyang 5N.Q Yeonpyeong Shelled by North Korean artillery, killing at least two and causing widespread destruction DMZ 35 km Seoul 35 miles S. KOREA Source: ESRI, AP said, because this expectation is ingrained into their society. "The people in South Korea want the government to take a stand," Kim said, "I think North Korea only has one trump card, which is having nuclear warheads." The U.S. has the danger of being involved in this conflict if government operation leaders are not careful, Kai said, but may be able to avoid the tension becoming worse if they agree to participate in the six-party talk China proposed. However, the U.S. will not participate until North Korea issues some sort of apology, Kai said. Due to the U.S.'s poor economy and the conflict with Iraq in motion, Kai said "we (the U.S) will do whatever we can to avoid war." In winter months, Fung said North Korea usually acts out like a "spoiled child" to receive funding for their country. She said this type of behavior happens in cycles, but South Korea isn't giving money to 12/06/10 Take a look behind the scenes of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Volleyball season ends in first-round loss during NCAA tournament. ion Graphic: Lee Hulteng © 2010 MCT them due to their current conservative government lead by President Lee Myung-bak. Also, the accommodation of a new North Korean leader to succeed Kim Jong-il has caused domestic conflict, Han said. Han said, "Last time North Korea transitioned to a new leader we almost went to war. I assume that their internal issue is really complicated, which is why this happened." "Just like when the U.S. was attacked by terrorists and wanted some type of revenge, well, it's the same thing for Koreans," Kim said. "Koreans are pretty prideful, pretty homogenous. But, I kind of think this whole thing is South Korea's fault, too." — catherine.meidell@aggiemagusu.edu www.utahstatesman.cow . Sign up now to get news over the semester break. Breaking news, games, and more will be highlighted via e - mail alerts. Sign up today. Official Student Newspaper of Utah State University • "It's All The News You Need!" |