Committee presents report on Oriental Studies name

The committee looking at complaints about the Oriental Studies Department's name presented its findings to the department last month, but details on their report will not be released until after the spring recess. Committee chairperson and Oriental Studies Professor William Hanaway, who has declined to comment throughout the two-month process, said yesterday that the committee was not formed to rename or restructure the Oriental Studies department -- only to examine the situation. He added that the department has agreed to continue to look into the situation. "The committee gathered information, but nothing was decided," Hanaway added. "[The department has] decided to pursue the matter further." Oriental Studies Department Chairperson Ludo Rocher declined to comment last night, saying that a statement will be released by the department in two weeks. Hanaway stressed the department's willingness to keep an open mind, saying that "the message is that the department is open to discussing the question." "The committee is really irrelevant," Hanaway said, adding that it was a fact-finding committee and "there was never any thought of including students on the committee." While the committee was busy evaluating the department, graduate student leaders gathered in two meetings this month to discuss the Oriental Studies name change issue, according to graduate student Leonard Reuter. Reuter said that several students proposed changing the department's name to "philology" -- or the study of historical linguistics. Reuter emphasized the graduate students' concerns that they will receive the doctorate in philology, while some of them have never studied the subject during their stay in the Oriental Studies Department. Asian students said they were upset with the pace of change in the Oriental Studies Department this week. "We find their whole strategy of not talking to student groups unacceptable," said Darryl Tom, a member of the Asian--American Student Alliance. "We had a meeting last semester in which they claimed they would allow students on the committee." College junior and vocal activist John Shu said Monday that he said he thinks "philology" is a "stupid" name. But he added that the term "oriental" is a racist name and "the name is a reflection of the structure." "I'm looking for everyone to come out as a winner," said Shu, the United Minorities Council vice-chairman. "It's not us versus them."

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