Senate hears

grievance about ASL
Returning student Jim Evangelista filed a grievance at Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting claiming the University is in non-compliance with state and federal law that says American Sign Language must be offered to fulfill the foreign language requirement.
Evangelista brought the issue to senate after his petition was tabled by the University Academic Requirements Committee over the summer. He said he hopes that the senate’s voice will show the University that students do care about the issue.
“I am asking that a remedy come through student senate,” he told the board. “I’d like to have student senate pass a resolution to give light to the issue and show the student body is supportive.”
Senator Andy Elliott spoke in favor of approving a resolution.
“I did some research, and sign language is the third most common language (nationally),” he said. Because usage is so widespread, he agreed that it should be offered in fulfillment of the requirement.
Senators voted to continue debate once a resolution is brought before them. The resolution would propose that the University offer ASL as a means to fulfill the language requirement.
Students of the Indian Subcontinent requested $1,107 for their cultural night scheduled March 10, which will feature a fashion show, dinner and exhibitions of Nepal, Pakistan and India. Senators voted unanimously to grant them the money.
Senators also voted 13 to 3 to allocate $1,723 to the Women’s Law Forum to send seven students to a conference in Santa Cruz.
The Black Student Union received $1,950 to host speaker and actor Saul Williams on Feb. 25 as part of Black History Month.
The Asian-Pacific American Law Students Association received $950 to send four students to a Harvard law conference.
Senator Mary Elizabeth Madden, who is also Programs Finance Committee Chairwoman, said that she might not be able to bring the PFC’s final budget to senate at next week’s meeting as scheduled. Although the budget is already past due as a result of the PFC recalls, she said the Oregon Daily Emerald had requested an extension to appeal its 2002-03 budget of $120,000 decided in Monday’s recall meeting. She said the PFC would decide after the senate meeting whether to grant the Emerald the extension.

— Diane Huber