EDITORIAL Malta-bound Upset about student unity on campus? Editor­ UM- St. Louis graduate student Eric in -c;hiefMatt Forsyth e ta kes a look at the . Baumer is the winner of the first ever "Dunking Booth Debacle. /I Student Fullbright Fellowship. He's FEATURES leaving soon to do research in Malta . First of a two-part series: Counseling services on carnpus. SPORTS Th e Riverwomen draw even in the Red and I Gold Classic. Issue 797 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST.. LOUIS. September 6, 1994 In the Light Seay sees need for change Maya Angelou appearance scheduled f or February; plays also to educate campus on cultural diversity by Mark Strehl standing between cultural and religious agenda in his presentation to UP B. of The Current staff groups on campus and in the commu­ "Face to Face" is a fas t-paced perfor- nity. mance piece involvi ng three or fo ur The Directorof the Office of Equal "'Nhat we're trying to do is to take actors. The actors perform monologues Opportunity, Nonnan Seay, presented the preventive approach and to have a based upon their own experiences with a comprehensive agenda on Tuesday variety of people on this campus par­ difficult subjects siJch as racis m and before the Uni versity Program Board ticipate in activities," Seay said. hOIJ1ophobia_ (UPB ) which addressed ways to im­ "The key word is variety, Seay The actors are also involved in prove race relations on campus. plays where they are thrown into diffi­ - Included in Seay's agenda is a fu- cult si tuations. Exam ples include an ture appearance and presentation by interracial couple losing their child or a the famous African American writer, black grandfather and granddaughter Maya Angelou. Angelou ' s appearance arguing over whether to take an Afri- . has been scheduled for Feb. 28, at the can name. After -the performance, Mark Twain Building. The ceremony works hops are set up to allow theaudi­ :vill mark the culmination of a month­ ence th e chance to get involved anti long celebration of African American express their own feeli ngs regarding History month . It will al so signi fy, the subject matter they witnessed. Seay said, the University'S commit­ Although receiving less notoriety ment to runnir;g activiti es and pro­ than Angelou 's appearance, Seay said grams that encourage diverse groups "Face to Face" has the potential to act Photo : Cinde Po li to attend and participate. as a vehicle for opening up dialogue <lAngelou is a distinguished Afri­ between diverse groups on campus-an M(ISSOURI) TV UNPLUGGED: Members of the band "Roger from the Oark" perform outside University can American ," Seay said. "Having important factor in preventing racial Center last Wednesday. The band's drummer, Francis Gomez, is a aJso a member of the Sigma Tau her here will show the campus' tens ion. The program is expec ted to Gamma fraternity at UM-St. Lciuis . I comittment to im proving race rela­ begin in October. tions_" Seay said Angeloll ' s appearance I He said that many African Ameri­ and the "Face to Face" program Li e-in cans and Caucasians have never heard NormanSeay nicely together. He said there "will be a distin guished poet such as Angel ou. a part of a program which involves Curators Scholarship goes to Board Angelou, whom critics have called one students, faculty and staff working for of the grea test \\'li lers in recent Limes , adde-d. "Racial tension and a lack of the same common goal, and that is has been acivilrights activist, lecture.r, communica ti on among different racial making them more comfortable on for amendments; nothing resolved poet and teacher. Her honors include a gro ups can creatc an inhospitableenvi­ campus." & - ~..- Pu1itzer Prize nomination in 19 72 and ronm ent for students, fac ul ty and staff. In addition to outli ning his agenda, - by Jeremy Rutherford "Full flexibility was given to Presi­ Fischer said. "Sometimes, they may a life time appo intment as the first Itisnecessary, in order LO havea health y Seay has req uested a donation ofS8,000 news editor dent Russell with Curators Scholar­ feel threatened as to which classes to Reynold Professor at W;li;.e Forest cam pus, to continue creating activ itie.s from UPB to help co ver the 527,000 ship," Bhan said, "meaning, hell see take." Uni versi ty. that allow all students to feel important expected COS t of bringing Angelou to what changes need to be made." Bhatt said although she hasn't wit­ The message to freshmen who re­ Sea)' hopes the forthcoming pub­ on campus." UM-S t. Louis. A decision by the UPB cei ve the Curators Scholarship is keep That concerns Bhatt. nessed that aspect, she said that could licity fro m Angelou's visit will focus Seay introduced one such ac ti vity, regarding Seay's request has not been "I respect their authority," Bhatt be the case. those grades up. That's the impression attention on the need for more under- "Face to Face," that was pan of hi s made. UM-system President George Russell said, also including the four chancellors. gave Student Representative Guyatri "But I feel there needs to be more Bhatt. details outlined. The fact of the matter The Curators Scholarship Program is, the Curators Scholarship should be was reviewed at the Board of Curators outlined by the curators." Growth of private income hits all-time high meeting in Springfield, Mo., Sept 1-2. The proposal submitted to Russell The scholarship recognizes out­ also states the scholarship will be of­ $5 million Chancellor says 'Gifts show standing academic achievement, in fered in a fixed amount of $12,000 for $4.6 high school, and rewards the student four academic years. St. Louis' commitment to by paying his or her college tuition. ''That's used for recruiting pur­ Students who excel academically, poses," Bhatt said. "It's believed stu­ $4 million the University' , by current Curator rules and regula­ dents think the scholarship looks more tions, must be in the top 5 percent of inviting." by Jeremy Rutherford their high school graduating class, and Bhatt said students have reason to news editor they must also have scored 28 on the think that way. "Because right now , with the dif­ ACT exam. Students must maintain a $3 million Private and corporate gifts t~ UM-S t. Louis have ficulty to hold the scholarship, students j 3.75 grade-point average in order to been on the rise since 1988 . This trend continued when retain the scholarship as a sophomore. are thinking of the Curators scholar­ the Universi ty announced Thursday that fund-raising ship as a one-year deal." · Bhatt attended the Curators' during the 1993-94 school year rcac hed S4.6 million. Curator Adam Fischer agrees, and meeting July 14-15, and helped design $2 million The new record is an increase of nearly 12 percent he is in favor of lowering the required a proposal, which would have softened more than last year's rccord of private giving, which those standards . G.PA totaled S4 .l million. "At the meeting, we decided to "If you look at other institutions, Kathleen Osborn , vice chancellor of University Re­ keep the high schools requirements the they want usually a 3.4," Fischer said . $1 million lations, said the record shows that St. Louisans are veI)' same," Bhatt said ofthec1ass rank: and "We .have g~ students, but as fresh­ committed to expan ding educational opportuni ties for ACT score. "But, we thought it was men, that (requiring a 3.75 G.P.A.) is the area's citizens . necessary to change the G .P.A. from a an enormous pressure. A 'B' and one · "This past year has bro ught unprecedented change, 'C,' and they're out of a scholarship. 3.75 to a 3.25." growth and opportun iti es for UM-St. Louis, particularly Russell's decision, though, was that According to Fischer, students are in the area of individual giving to th e camp us," Osborn he would consider the Cmators' pro­ also more apt to take less challenging said. posal and discuss the issue in full at a classes in order to keep the scholarship." Osbo rn cited the relationship with the contri butor as . later date, possibly the next Curators ''They (students) are somewhat meeting, Oct 20-21 in Columbia. reluctant to take difficult classes," 1988 1994 See Gifts, page 4 UM-St. Louis joins Accelerated Schools Program by Beth Robinson Louis, said a good educational phi­ said plan of action is then detennined abou t.w hat needs to improved, we will of The Current staff losophy is, "school is only good for all and a school can stan implementing be preparing und e.rgraduate an d children, if it is good for my child." chang es . grad uate st udents to teach in these sc hools." The School of Education at UM­ "The program looks at all children According to Bru nner, a resource Accelerated Schools Program Sl Louis is joining the Accelerated as being gifted and talented and wan ts center for the program will be esta b­ originated at Stanford Un iversity and Schools Program , after recei ving a to use curriculum and inst:rUcti on that lished. The center will provide up-to­ was instituted in 1·988 by the Depart­ $244,000 government grant to operate will bring out these talents," she said. date documentation on accelerated ment of Eleme ntary and Secondary the program through the University .