LETTERS: Better coverage of Asian American events is needed
To the Editor: On Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m., there was a symposium kicking off the start off the new Asian American Studies minor. This has been no small step for 25 percent of the community. For over a decade, the Asian Pacific Americans of this campus have strived and fought for this minor, which we all hope to someday make into a major and then a department at this institution. This was the marking of our first step into our own bright future. To my knowledge, there has been no reporter there to take pictures or to talk to the more than one hundred people that showed up. This fact tells me how unestablished and negligent the DP really is to the important events of this campus and how it only caters to the needs of the people of their choice. It is my assumption, to give an offhand example, that the DP would have covered the event if this were the kickoff event for a new African American Studies minor. AFAM was not brought about to this campus by a snapping of the fingers, or a plea by just one person of the community. It has been incorporated into the school curricula through hard work and participation by various students for decades. The Asian American Studies minor has been brought about through this same hard work and perseverance. The fact that the DP has not covered such an important event tells me that either the DP is racist or that it does not really cover the important issues arising on this campus. It saddens me tremendously to see such a poorly run paper, and it is my only wish that others on this campus can do a better job in deciding what events are more important to the community and what is not. I sincerely hope the DP would take this matter into their hands and make some amends as to apologize to at least one-fourth of this campus. I also hope that such a negligent act will not be taken again in the future and the DP covers what it can, should and would cover for the University of Pennsylvania. Rina Joko President, Penn Nihon Club College '99 u To the Editor: Once again, The Daily Pennsylvanian has neglected to make even the slightest conscious effort in covering the Asian affairs of this university. It is appalling a paper that claims to represent the University as a whole, which has no problem addressing the interests of other minorities, and which is always sure to make more than adequate coverage of the Greek and other communities, can continuously brush off the interests of the Asian community of this campus. Asians represent nearly 25 percent of University students. For too long, the interests of the Asian community have been neglected by your paper. But the community is more unified than ever, and under the guidance of current and future student leaders, the Asian community will not be passed by as it has been in the past. Michael Shih President, Asian Student Union Engineering '98 u To the Editor: I am the editor in chief of Mosaic Magazine, and I am writing this letter to express concern over the coverage of the symposium on Friday night. As journalists and publications, I understand the difficulty in logistics and coordinating the right amount of people to get the news covered. However, when a University minor is introduced, that's doubly important for timely coverage. With a quarter of the population being Asian American, Asian and minority issues are of concern to students. Even though there was no wrong intent in covering the news on Tuesday instead of Monday, the University community will still see a lack of effort on the part of the DP, and will only see it as such in the future if not corrected. I am writing this letter only out of concern as what I see is an important issue in minority affairs. This is not to disparage all the other good work the DP has given to the community. Derek Yan Editor-in-Chief, Mosaic Magazine Wharton '97 Greeks breed leaders To the Editor: Monday's article "Greek leaders boost slate of Undergraduate Assembly candidates," (DP, 3/24/97) implied a Greek attempt to take over the world so that we can get money for parties. Yes, the umbrella organizations spread the names of Greek UA candidates across their listserves. However, so did many other organizations, including the UA itself. It is part of the democratic system that groups organize support for candidates that represent them. That does not mean that those candidates only care about their organizations. Last year, the United Minorities Council supported College sophomore Olivia Troye when the University Council delayed the vote to give the UMC a seat. Troye won a seat on the UA and on the UC and served as a well-rounded representative fighting for improved safety around campus, as well as minority issues. Ten of the Greeks running are incumbents; one was on the UA before he took last semester abroad; three currently serve on class boards; two were the student body presidents in their high schools; one served on the national board of his youth group; at least one has been president of his chapter. Who says the Greek candidates have limited platforms? The Greek system attracts and breeds leaders, and leaders are who populate the student government. Noah Bilenker Phi Kappa Psi, IFC Secretary UA incumbent College '99 Don't use my money! To the Editor: As a member of the Sports Clubs' Executive Council, I know how hard it is for student groups to get funding for things they need. Every club on this campus does not get as much money as they want and need. By diverting funds from legitimate organizations open to everyone, I, the non-Greek student, suffer. Clubs at this school are open to everyone and anyone who wants to join, not like fraternities and sororities who pick and choose who they want to join. If any club at this school tried to get reimbursed for a party or anything even related to a party, the administration would laugh in our faces because of the impertinence of asking for money for that. Even worse, many sports clubs can not even be reimbursed for tournaments held outside of this region of the U.S. I feel it is a travesty that they want to spend student's tuition money on parties in light of this. Just as everyone is outraged that the Chemistry Department can get away with spending thousands on entertainment, why the hell should students do the same? One other solution I feel everyone would be happy with would be to fund every party on campus. My team wants to have a party, I see nothing wrong with funding that, do you? Yes, of course, you do because this is not what tuition money should go towards? As I was reading the candidates' statements, I happened upon the line "The administration is trying to turn our campus into a breeding ground for dorks." Well, why the hell are you at an Ivy League school? The social life? If you really want to party, go to Florida State, but don't come bitching to me when you can't get a job or get into a half decent graduate school. Thus, by diverting funds from the legitimate needs of the students of the university, these fraternities and sororities are hurting everyone else, but is this really a surprise that people at Penn are selfish and pig-headed? Stuart Smalheiser College '98 Unextravagant spending To the Editor: Sarah Giulian criticizes the Chemistry Department for spending $40,000 on entertainment. I agree. I am a Chemistry graduate student and am appalled by the sums spent. Unfortunately, Giulian completely undercuts her own assertion when she approves of landscaping and voicemail (amongst other things) because "[w]e all know Penn needs to look smart to the prospective students eyes." Although I have not seen the actual printed budget figures, it is commonly accepted amongst the fellow Chemistry graduate students I've spoken to that most of this money goes to recruiting. Furthermore, Penn's recruiting expenditures are most certainly not extravagant when compared to many other schools. They are very similar to what's done at other very good (and many not so good) chemistry departments. While the "everybody else is doing it" argument does not make this spending right, it does make this spending "good" by Giulian's reasoning. Perhaps when Giulian rethinks her rationales for spending we can then better evaluate what spending is and is not good. Matthew Horn SAS doctoral student Fooled again! To the Editor: Just as it did in the spring of my freshmen year (1973), the DP snagged my gullible heart? then it was "Trustees change name to Ben Franklin U." Today, it was the campus losing its 7th Pennstitution? Already I was trying to remain calm about all the phone calls that would come into Alumni Relations but a quick call to my rarely duped husband and he enlightened me that it was that time of year... "Dear -- it's got to be the joke issue." Thank you for a crazy start to the day. Martha Z. Stachitas CW '75 Director, Alumni Relations