Trinity's Curriculum to Be Assessed Today Multicultural Curriculum
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THE CHRONICLE CIRCULATION: 15,000 VOL. 89, NO. 43 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28,1993 © DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA Trinity's curriculum Multicultural curriculum debated By GEOFFREY GREEN tive people here . especially classes which have expanded to be assessed today A discussion Wednesday more white people," said Trin beyond Western [culture,]" said night about the role of ity sophomore Shavar Jeffries, Trinity senior Amanda Persaud, By PEGGY KRENDL only five ofthe six disciplines, multiculturalism in academia a panel member and the Black a member of the Duke India The Arts and Sciences which include arts and lit turned into an angry debate Student Alliance vice president Association and a panel mem Council is scheduled to de erature, civilizations, foreign about the breadth of the for external affairs. ber. bate 18 proposed recommen language, natural sciences, University's curriculum. The discussion was sponsored Western culture is itself in dations to improve quantitative rea Panel and audience members bythe multicultural group Spec clusive of other civilizations, Trinity College's soning and social disagreed about whether the trum, which is currently run said Trinity senior Tony Mecia, curriculum today. science. University's curriculum main ning a campaign criticizing the editor ofthe conservative cam For nearly two "When we met tains an effective balance be University's curriculum for con- pus publication The Duke Re years, a 13-mem- as a committee we tween so-called "western" and centratingtoo much on western view. ber committee of tried to look at a "non-western" course offerings. culture and western history. "Western culture does link in faculty, adminis Duke University About 100 people attended the The panelmembers disagreed the great contributions of dif trators and stu education as a phi forum, which was held in on what constitutes a broad ferent civilizations throughout dents have studied losophy," said Griffith Film Theater. While the curriculum. the world," Mecia said. and discussed the committee chair 12 panel members, consisting One panel member, law pro "In my opinion, in certain re curriculum. The William O'Barr, of students, faculty and an ad fessor George Christie, said he spects, Western civilization is 18 recommenda professor of cul ministrator, were almostevenly feared akind of academic "apart better than other civilizations tions range from William O'barr tural anthropol divided between those support heid" if courses were designed throughout the world," said abolishing course related ogy. "The failure ing and those attacking the cur to focus on each person's indi panel member Victor ness, a suggestion that has [of the current curriculum] riculum, most in the audience vidual culture. Christie is head Strandberg, professor of En spurred little opposition, to is that we don't talk about said they felt the course offer ofthe Duke Association of Schol glish. For example, women are requiring students to take what a liberal education is." ings needed drastic revision. ars, a local chapter of a national treated much better in the west classes in all six areas of At the last council meet Panelists and members ofthe group that promotes a more tra than in many other cultures, knowledge, a change that ing, members began exam audience said they thought the ditional curriculum. Strandberg said. many faculty and students ining the recommendations meeting was not representative But the University simply But others accused western oppose. one by one. But picking apart ofthe entire student body. does not offer a wide enough- society and the University's Currently, students are the committee's report may "I thought it was beneficial range of courses, said some stu auricular offerings of plagia required to take classes in See TRINITY on page 6 •• but I think it would be better if dents. "At Duke, I have not had rizing other cultures without there were . more conserva the opportunity to take many See PANEL on page 7 • Congress receives Clinton's universal health insurance plan By ROBERT PEAR of details that were not available In the Capitol, under the gaze pumping, Clinton demanded for all Americans, or the endeavor N.Y. Times News Service in White House documents or of statues of figures from that Congress pass a bill by the will not have been worth the WASHINGTON — After nine speeches by administration offi America's past, Clinton declared . end of next year. He offered to effort." months of brainstorming and cials over the last nine months. that the United States was "chok compromise on most matters, Republicans and Democrats politicking, President Clinton on The final legislative proposal ing on a health care system that saying, "I want to reiterate what alike predict that Congress will Wednesday delivered to Con revises earlier versions of the is not working." He and his wife, I have said so many times: I have make substantial changes in the gress a 240,000-word proposal president's package, in an effort Hillary, summoned Congress to no pride of authorship, nor do I health care system next year. for universal health insurance. to control costs and to satisfy the join them in a historic mission to wish this to be a partisan en But members ofboth parties said It represents the most com hundreds of pobtical constituen guarantee comprehensive health deavor or victory." Wednesday that Clinton's pro plex, detailed legislative blue cies that are already doing battle insurance coverage for all Ameri But he also said, "When it is posal would be substantially re print devised by any president. over the issue, on which Clinton cans. over, we musthave achieved com vised on Capitol Hill and that The document provides scores has staked his presidency. His voice rising and his fists prehensive health care security See HEALTH on page 7 • DSG legislature to develop housing plan By ROSE MARTELLI port to an all-freshman East The Duke Student Govern Campus. Early this month, ment legislature was charged Hudson gave a presentation to with developing a resolution on the Board ofTrustees with the the future of East Campus by title: "The Big Picture: Resi the middle of next month. dential Planning, Recreational "The first thing that must be Facilities, and the Essential decided about this issue is the Role of a Freshman East Cam approach we should take on it," pus." said Trinity senior Paul Students opposed to the all- Hudson, DSG president, at the freshman campus said that the legislative meeting Wednesday executive committee should night. have consulted the legislature The legislation could concen before presenting a set of opin trate on whether East should ions to the trustees. be an all-freshman campus or DSG is sponsoring a town meeting this evening to gather it could concentrate on where MIN CE LI/THE CHRONICLE to build the 665 bed spaces student input on proposed needed to close North Campus, changes to East Campus. The Concentration Hudson said. legislature should also start Trinity sophomore Christian Pregler (I) and Trinity freshman Henry Cheng take time from their The executive committee of work on developingits own plan studies to play some chess. DSG has given qualified sup See DSG on page 6 fe>- THE CHRONICLE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1993 World and National Newsfile France demands total blockade on Haiti Associated Press Settlement rejected: A Lux By STEVEN HOLMES virtually all commerce from flowing into the French proposal Wednesday morn embourg court unexpectedly rejected N.Y. Times News Service and out of what is already the poorest ing, one presidential foreign policy ad a multi-billion dollar settlement for HAITI-WASHINGTON — With efforts country in the Western Hemisphere. viser said. "What it does is to point in the creditors and depositors ofthe Bank to restore Haiti's elected president sty Earlier this month, in an effort to go direction of increasing the bite of sanc of Credit and Commerce Interna mied, President Clinton's top foreign beyond the oil and weapons embargo, the tions, and that's a good thing." tional on Wednesday, in a blow to policy advisers met Wednesday to con Clinton administration unilaterally froze The draft resolution would permit im the thousands awaiting repayment sider a complete economic embargo the assets of Haitian military leaders and ports of goods deemed necessary for basic from the outlaw bank. against the poor Caribbean nation. their supporters. But the meeting humanitarian needs and would allow the Wednesday appeared to be the first in government of the exiled Aristide to re Wildfires devour: Wildfires But they took no action, and it was not which the administration formally con driven by searing desert winds de clear when they would meet again. quest exemptions on a case-by-case basis. voured more than 47,000 tinder-dry Administration officials said the advis sidered a complete embargo. Otherwise, all commerce between Haiti acres in Southern California on ers were considering a French proposal The administration received a copy of See HAITI on page 12 • Wednesday, destroying at least 200 for a worldwide economic embargo on homes and forcing hundreds to flee Haiti. The proposal is being circulated from suburbs and rural hamlets. among members of the United Nations Senate measure supports Security Council. Treatment delayed: Almost half Under an agreement negotiated in July, a million American women will die Haiti's military government is required of breast cancer in this decade while First Amendment rights to cede power to the Rev. Jean-Bertrand research that offers hope of treat ment is delayed for lack of money, a Aristide, the president ousted in a 1991 presidential commission says.