The Vista October 27, 1987

Page 1

THE October 27, 1987 Vol. 86, No. 15

VISTA

Tuesday Edition

Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma

700 attend Nigh Institute inaugural By J. Money Carl Albert, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, helped Central State University kick off the Nigh Institute on State Government Friday. Albert was one of five speakers who addressed a banquet celebrating the beginning of the institute. Dr. Bill Lillard, CSU president, Gov. Henry Bellmon, U.S. Sen. David Boren and former Gov. George Nigh also addressed the more than 700 people who attended. Throughout the presentations by the speakers, one theme was made clear: CSU is an ideal location for an institute on state Government. Lillard started off the presentations by giving a brief description of the university's history and special accomplishments. "Twenty years ago, CSU began a writer-in-residence program. In

1979, CSU began a scholar-inresidence program, and in 1983, a statesman-in-residence program. "Now," Lillard continued, "CSU has a distinguished statesman-in-residence program in conjunction with the Nigh Institute for State Government." Lillard pointed out that CSU is fortunate, because it is only seven and one-half miles north of the perfect lab for studying state government, the capitol. "In my opinion," Lillard concluded, "CSU is destined to become the lighthouse of institutes for studying state government." Carl Albert also said that CSU is the ideal place for an institute to study state government. "Oklahoma University and schools in Texas and Michigan have congressional institutes. The study of state government is just as important because state government came before national government," Albert said.

During his address, Albert also praised Nigh's qualifications for directing the institute, saying that Nigh had served as governor both during good and bad times. "He can teach the history of state government both ways as well," Albert joked. Boren addressed the audience on the importance of teachers. "There is no greater gift teachers can give us than to raise future leaders," Boren said. "Teachers sharing their experiences mean so much to young people." "When people who are grappling with government programs every day come together to teach, the result can be great to solve the problems during the tough times. "Citizens should have a breadth of understanding on what is good for their state and nation. The institute will produce that kind of person," Boren concluded.

Vietnamese students angered By J. Money A Vietnamese student became very upset during International Night, held Thursday in the University Center, after observing that the flag designated for his country in a parade of flags was the flag carried by N. Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Hoang Levan, a senior from Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam, said he noticed while attending the ceremonies that the flag representing Vietnam in the parade was not the flag he recognized as the official flag of his country. Levan said he asked a person who was helping with the parade, whom he could not identify, and was told that the flag being used in the parade was the correct flag for the country, and that it would have to be carried. The Vietnamese who was designated to carry the flag in the parade declined to carry it, saying she also did not recognize the flag as the official flag of her country. Levan said the flag was carried anyway, but by an American, not a Vietnamese. "That is really ironic," Levan said, "because the United States fought against the country that carried that flag. During the course of that fight, the Americans lost 50,000 men, including 2,400 missing in action, who are still being used as a bargaining chip in negotiations." Levan said he did not think there were many, if any, students on campus who were from the Vietnam which has existed since Saigon was overthrown in 1975. He added that there was not a student organization on campus representing Vietnamese because most students are part-time.

International Student Advisor Dr. Ronald Paddock said there are no Vietnamese students on campus associated officially with the Vietnam which has been in existence since 1975. Paddock said the Vietnamese who came here after the fall of South Vietnam are in this country as refugees, and added they broke all ties with their country when they came to the U.S. "The Vietnamese students on this campus are not citizens of the U.S., but most are working toward that goal. The International Office, CSU and the U.S. do not have relations with Vietnam in any capacity," Paddock said. Paddock said the dispute occured becuase he could not legally represent Vietnam using any other flag besides the one currently recognized by the government there. "Flags from 147 countries, many of them communist, were represented in the parade," Paddock said. "Over half of the 147 do not have students here at CSU," he continued. Paddock explained that the flag used in the parade was an exact replication of the one currently used in that country, as set into law, and added that it would not be legal to use the flag of a country which has not existed since 1975 to represent Vietnam. "I appreciate and understand that the Vietnamese students did not agree with the use of that flag to represent their country," Paddock said. "But," he continued, "the students also need to understand that the flag had to be accurate, and that the fact the flag was displayed in the parade by no

means implies that the International Office or CSU agrees with the philosophy or political orientation of the country." "I am personally happy that the students feel as they do, and I am glad they don't agree with what is happening in Vietnam," Paddock said. "I also understand that it's an emotional issue for the students, and I am very, very sorry," Paddock concluded.

Thanking supporters Former Gov. George Nigh addresses audience members during the Nigh Institute of State Government Friday. More than 700 people attended the festivities, which included a $500 per ticket reception at the Sheraton Hotel.

500 expected for forum New Plains Review, CSU's student-produced humanities journal, is sponsoring its third FORUM discussion at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 29, in the Liberal Arts Auditorium. Five hundred students and educators are expected to attend the event. The topic to be presented for discussion during the forum is "Censorship: The Right to Know vs. The Need to Know." "Forum is a symposium which

investigates ideas and airs opinions concerning current sociopolitical issues," said Suzanne Knopp, marketingpromotions editor of New Plains Review. According to Knopp, the sociological impact and ramifications of censorship will be explored during the forum. Areas of discussion will include recent legalities, sociological reasons and impacts, and types of censorship. Speakers will be Duane Meyers, founder and president of the

Oklahoma Coalition Against Censorship; Renee Ross, reference librarian from the Metropolitan Library System, Edmond branch; Cecil Greek, CSU assistant professor of sociology; Kyle Dahlen, president of the Oklahoma Education Association; and Karen Morris, reference librarian from Oklahoma State University. "CSU's faculty has been invited to bring their 10:40 a.m. classes to the event," Knopp said. "We have also invited educators statewide to attend," she added.

Shilling approves condom measure Jeff Shilling, president of the CSU Student Association, signed resolution No. 87-109 Oct. 20. The resolution requests that condoms be made available to students at the University Health Center. The bill narrowly passed by vote in the Student Association Senate Sept. 28. Shilling said he did not sign the bill immediately because he "wanted to seek the views of the student body and give them time

to respond on such a crucial issue." "The intent of the bill is to medically prevent the contraction of AIDS through sexual contact—not to encourage promiscuity or pre-marital sex—and I am approving it only in the context of medical prevention of AIDS. AIDS education is, of course, another aspect of prevention that I believe will be dealt with in other, existing legislation which

will point out alternative means of prevention such as abstinence," Shilling said. "Our public schools have begun to deal with the education aspect, but students who are already in college do not have the benefit of early education. Therefore, condoms must be looked at as one means by which to prevent AIDS, although they are not 100 percent effective," Shilling continued.


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