r The Weather Local news Arts Sports Partly cloudy, highs 55 to 60 pages 15, 16 TODAY Rain likely tomorrow. pages 4, 5, 13 pages 10, 11 (Emmectiait Sa% (Eampua Serving Storrs Since 1896 w VOL. LXXXI NO. Afr- J30RRS, CONNECTICUT WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 16. 1977 —A special report International Center host to woes By VIVIAN B. MARTIN Copyright, 1977, The Connecticut Dally Campos The International Center and the University's foreign student program are suffering from problems that have caused many students to boycott the center, and have prompted others to question how dedicated I'Conn is in its commitment to the International community. The Daily Campus has learned that the 11-year-old center is having problems defining the status of a foreign student advisor who by job title and description does not exist, as well as handling factional differences and low morale that some have blamed on unrespon- siveness of the center's director and a lack of support by the University. Very few people can pinpoint when exactly foreign students' problems started. However, most of the major problems began to surface three to four years ago. Four years ago, Vivian Putnam, who is now employed in the Registrar's Office, was the International Center's foreign student advisor, as well as the director of the Robert B. Knapp center. Putnam, who says she now tries to keep her distance International Center. from the situation because she doesn't want to interfer, Until about two years ago, the Graduate Center had a advised students with problems that were other than position titled Director of Foreign Students and academic, and was also familiar with visa and Minority Affairs. imigration rules. However, the director resigned and because of a lack Putnam says she requested a transfer when a new of funds, nobody was hired to take her place, according administration started to take hold because she sensed a to Hugh Clark, Graduate School dean. change coming in the program. Since that time, the office secretary has handled all of Robert B. Knapp was then hired as the director and the imigration papers for the graduate foreign students has held the job since. Knapp had previously worked in — a group that comprises almost 95 per cent of the a similar capacity at Boston University. foreign student total. Undergraduates" papers are In the beginning, Knapp's job requirements included processed in the admissions office. pretty much the same as Putnam's. Only, now the title Yet, this still did not solve the problem of the foreign was different. And although there have been many student advisor, a role which had been also taken by the The International Center changes elsewhere, that problem hasn't changed at the director of foreign students and minority affairs. During this time, there were also requests to centralize all of the foreign student information, as well as their services. Knapp. who in his personally-designed job description Lack of guidance hurts too lists that his job entails foreign student advising as well as directing the center, wanted the information to be under the International Center, while the graduate By VIVIAN B.MARTIN always come "just that close," Wu's story cannot be school felt that Knapp should be put under the Graduate Like most college students, Mei-Ying \Vu starts pushed into the same group. Not when your homeland is Center. looking for summer work early. This past summer her halfway around the world and your comprehension of Clark says he believes it's the only way the situation lucktraveledas far as New York City where she arranged immigration rules, etc. is very limited. could work effectively. a summer job. Yet, knowledge of the laws or else guidance from The nebulous situation is one of the reasons why Things looked well, until the graduate student from someone who understands them and many of the other foreign students have been complaining that they have Taiwan learned that before she could even consider a problems of foreign students is something many foreign no advisor. job off-campus, there was the question of working students have told the Daily Campus they feel is lacking According to Mark Wentzel. an American student and permits, or an application for practical experience — here at UConn. president of the International Student Association something immigration officers enforce fiercely. The claims are also noted by Mark Wentzek. president (ISA), many of the students who have problems have Wu began inquiries about the procedures, only to find of the International Student's Association (ISA), the come to the ISA. out later that she had been ill-advised. group that has handled many foreign student com- The ISA is a student organization whose headquarters She almost lost her job. plaints. is at the International Center. However, this is the And while there are thousands of cases where people Cont. on page 7 Coot, on page 6 FSSO approves money for correspondent By MICHAEL T. CALVERT coverage of the -.onference was not said if the event was not important "good taste" with regard to the FSSO UConn student government members necessary, since the event will be covered enough to merit in-depth coverage by the publication the FSSO Forum. Donen read argued for more than half an hour by the national news media. national media, "why should we cover a prepared statement stating objectives Tuesday night about whether to appropri- Ricki Black, a graduate student in it?" of the Forum, including informing ate $140 to help send a WHUS corres- linguistics and the WHUS staff person A notion was finally made to close students, allowing them to air their pondent to cover the upcoming National views, and providing free advertising. Women's Conference in Houston. The who will cover the conference, but not "in discussion, and the resolution was depth," and that the event merited passed. Afterwards, FSSO Chairman The statement said the Forum would resolution appropriating the money "achieve all of the above within the limits passed in a 4-3 vote. special attention because of its interest to Steve Donen expressed approval of the women. She also pointed out that the of good taste." Several members of the Central Com- financing, saying he thought "we have The statement of policy was prompted mittee of the Federation of Student S140 covered less than half of the expense slightly short-changed women on this involved in the trip. by objections from various segments of Services and Organizations (FSSO) campus," and he added the vote was "a the student body, including the Women's objected to the partial financing of the FSSO Finance Committee Chairman, step in the right direction." Center, over the Forum's Lampoon-like trip. Joe Wrinn, Commuter's Union Chris Williams, wondered "what is the In other action, the Central Committee format, and the printing of sexually head, said he thought having WHUS significance of this to our campus. ai,d voted unanimously to adopt a policy of suggestive pictures and captions. .-. -rv'' ,fc\ >s<S i • • '•■ ' ■"'■' '»•.'•«"■'•"» /V,<v.\ i,' ''i",'.',«n«0 Mark A. DupuM Editor-in-Chlol (Ikmurrttrtrt John HNI III Cr.lgK.Spar/ Managing Editor Buslnaas Managar Vivian B Martin Uailti (CarayuH Attoclata Editor Second-class p^s-oge paid at Storrs, Con- necticut Subscription: (non-s.udont) $10 an- naiiy United Press International T«lephotos Vol. LXXXI No. 48 are provided at no charge by UP I and the Willimantic Chronicle. Editorial and Business offices of the Daily Campus are at 121 North Wadnar'-v, Novombor 16, 1977 Eagleville Road. Storrs. Conn. Telephone: 429-9384 Students should know \.HAPrV &KHDAY To You! HON. BlOW CUM OKDLE.Cjr THE CAKE AND IvWJ A WISH. where their fees go tW m\ Wi TOOT M WISH TO THE PEOPLE'S MINISTRY OF WiSH Omxi" The University of Connecticut Chroni- one the administration should get to work cle, says Bill Finch, gets just under to put into action. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR $80,000 from accounts financed almost exclusively from student fees. One thing Teh Connecticut Daily Campus gets \iss Stowe A RA defends than $25,000 from its own student fee. The Daily Campus is a student news- at a time, paper — in its operation, in its policies, in residents' reputation its outlook. Bill Finch To the Editor: are some damages in every dorm on The University Chronicle is a house campus. I don't call the police every organ and much of the time an adminis- As I read the editorial letter "Van- time a ball goes through a window or a tration mouthpiece. Whoa! Slow down, Bill Finch. dalism is a Crime", I got so fired up leg falls of a chair. that a two week excursion to Siberia Before certain people bad-mouthed The facts and figures on the Chronicle's It is good news that UConn's newest wouldn't have cooled me off. In this Stowe A in the Daily Campus, I wish budget were just a few of the points student member of the Board of Trustees ■ personal attack the residents of Stowe A they would stop by and visit with the raised Monday by Finch, the new student is pursuing such an ambitious program as were labeled vandals and criminals. guys and their R.A. They might be member of UConn's Board of Trustees. he outlined Monday in discussing propo- Also it has been publicly suggested I surprised when' they meet a decent sals to open student fee accounts to haven't done mjjob'y as their R.A. bunch of guys and some of the most There are many more such facts, all student scrutiny and a plan to reorganize Because of this defamation, I believe spirited students at UConn.