The Muslim Student Association is sponsoring a panel of student speakers tonight to address stereotypes in the aftermath of Sept. 11.
“Islam in Focus” will focus on many issues, including jihad terrorists, a brief introduction on Islam, terrorism versus Islam, and human and women’s rights, MSA Director Mahmoud Abdul-Jawad said.
MSA member Nadia Hasan said the group also plans to discuss what the Taliban is, how they became what they are and how they are a misrepresentation of Islam.
Hasan said the group will discuss each topic for about ten minutes and then open the talk up to questions from the audience. Index cards will be passed out so that members of the audience can remain anonymous.
Hasan said the MSA planned the event not only to educate about Islam but to break down stereotypes.
The event will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. today in 240A Grayson. Refreshments will be provided.
–Anna Seeley
After a brief debate, the ASUO Senate approved a special money request by the ASUO Multicultural Center to use $980 from conference accounts within the group’s budget to create two new work study positions for one year.
Of the 15 senators who attended Wednesday night’s meeting, 11 voted in favor of the motion. Sens. Mary Elizabeth Madden, Eric Bailey and Arlie Adkins voted against it, and Sen. Eddie Morales abstained.
Madden said she couldn’t support the motion because it would set a precedent for other groups to make similar requests for additional work study positions.
Senate President Peter Watts spoke in favor of the motion. He said it should be approved because the money was coming from within the group’s budget, and the group does not plan to come to the Senate for additional funding this year.
“I feel I should defer to the MCC’s judgment on this,””he said.
The Senate voted unanimously to approve a request by the Black Student Union to transfer money from accounts within the group’s budget to pay for food for the group’s upcoming Kwanzaa event.
Senators also approved a 7 percent increase in the Athletic Department Finance Committee budget to comply with an agreement the Senate made with the ADFC last year.
According to the agreement, Senate would increase the ADFC budget by 7 percent this year, by 7 percent next year and by 2.5 percent the following year. Student fees pay for student tickets, and the increases are designed to bring the student fee contribution up to 50 percent of the tickets’ actual cost.
Ten senators voted in favor of the increase. Sens. Dominique Beaumonte and Katie Howard were opposed. Sens. Kate Kranzush, Dave Sanchez and Adkins, who are on the ADFC committee, abstained.
–Kara Cogswell
