DAILY LOBO new mexico
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February 29, 2012
wednesday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Students risk torture, jail to pursue education by Megan Morris
mmorr42@unm.edu UNM student Flora Kiyan earned a degree in Iran by taking classes in living rooms and basements. She and the other students learning out of these makeshift classrooms knew that if the Iranian government discovered they were pursuing education, they would face torture and imprisonment. “There was always worry and caution. It was always with us, we had to be careful,” Kiyan said. When Kiyan came to UNM to pursue a master’s degree, she discovered the degree she earned in Iran, which came from Báha’í Institute of Higher Education, wasn’t going to be recognized by the University. When Kiyan applied to UNM for a degree in elementary education, UNM accepted only 80 of her 150 BIHE credits. In 2010, however, UNM changed its policy and now no longer accepts any BIHE credits from incoming transfer students. Gastroenterology Professor Henry Lin said the change came following a decision not to accept credits from a number of national and international universities, based on their academic rigor, and that the change was not directed specifically at BIHE. Kiyan is a member of the Báha’í faith, a world religion that began
in Persia (present-day Iran) more than 160 years ago, and whose teachings include the unity of mankind, the equality of men and women and the need for universal education. Because they face constant persecution from the Iranian government, which excludes Báha’ís from the public education system and prohibits them from pursuing degrees at Iranian universities, Báha’ís in Iran have been forced to earn college degrees in secret. UNM’s chapter of the Education Under Fire Movement hosts on-campus events promoting the rights of Báha’ís to education and freedom from discrimination. Lecturers who spoke at the Education Under Fire movement event Monday said since the religion’s founding in the 1800s, Báha’ís have been forced to leave their jobs, give up professional licenses, and have even lost the right to own property. Several years ago, the Iranian government began to tap all Báha’ís’ phones, check their mail and monitor emails. In 1987, the Báha’í community took matters into its own hands and established the Báha’í Institute for Higher Education. This informal undergraduate program gives persecuted Báha’í youth a chance to pursue higher education. Kiyan was denied access to
Iran’s universities because of her faith, a fate shared by the 300,000 Báha’ís living in Iran. “Attending BIHE was the only option I had to get an education,” Kiyan said. Kiyan enrolled in 1998, an infamous year in BIHE history in which the Iranian government organized a raid of the BIHE facility and confiscated computers, copiers, student files and books. Kiyan said BIHE students and professors had to be cautious for fear of getting caught, which would mean they would be tortured and thrown in jail. When classes were over, the professors asked students to leave in groups of two and to leave every five minutes so as not to attract the neighbors’ attention. During the lecture Monday, Kiyan discussed the underground educations program. “People would volunteer their time to be the carriers,” she said. “We would give our homework assignments to the volunteers who would drive them, despite great personal risk, to the professors in Tehran to be graded. Then the carriers drove them back to the students.” Depending on how far away the students were from the BIHE headquarters in Tehran, Kiyan said it could take up to two
see Iran PAGE 3
Dylan Smith / Daily Lobo Flora Kiyan speaks to students and members of the community about the persecution and torture Bahá’ís face in Iran. The Bahá’ís are fighting for the right to go to school, and hope UNM will change its stance on accepting credits from the Bahá’í university in Iran.
Continuing Ed rife with learning
GREEK SING
by Gabriel Segovia
Luis Pinedo / Daily Lobo From left, Nickole De La O, Sophia Taulbee, Victoria Springer, Jade Sierra and Diane Anderson sing at open mic for Greek Sing in the SUB Monday night. Greek Sing is part of Greek Week, where fraternities and sororities raise money for charity.
Inside the
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every week,” she said. “We have all kinds of arts and projects. For cookgsegovia@unm.edu ing classes, like “One Dish DinWhether you’ve always want- ners,” students meet for three hours ed to learn how to prepare East In- a week and eat what they cook, one dian cuisine or navigate rapids in a of the main reasons many take these kayak, UNM Continuing Education classes,” McGhee said. Students can register for growth has a wealth of courses in which both students and nonstudents can and enrichment classes online any time before class begins. The cost participate. The Growth and Enrichment Pro- of classes ranges from $25, for a gram of Continuing Education offers “Money Matters,” course to $450 for “Coastal Kayathe majority of conking on Inland tinuing education “We are offering Waters,” a class courses in areas inheld at Ute Lake cluding art, music, physical education shortened classes for in which participants learn to and cooking. Marie McGhee, senior pro- people that don’t have plan and initiate multi-day sea gram manager for as much time and kayak trips, Growth and EnrichGilda Latzky ment, said a wide range of people at- have a lower budget.” has been working with the tend the classes, not Growth and Enjust degree-seeking Gilda Latzky richment prostudents. teacher gram for 13 Growth and Enyears. She teachrichment offers about 350 courses for the fall semes- es “Exploring the Cuisine of the Inter, 360 in the spring semester and dia,” one of the 19 courses she is 150 in the summer, she said. Last teaching this semester. “In this class we will learn about year, nearly 8,600 students enrolled the spices and unusual ingredients in Growth and Enrichment classes. “There are about six to 50 stu- used in this cuisine,” she said. “Indidents per class, the age groups vary an food is simple to cook and people from teenagers to retired people, see Continuing ed. PAGE 3 and we open about 10 new classes
TODAY
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