In honor of National Take Affirmative Action Day, a panel of students met Thursday praising and criticizing affirmative action initiatives at UW-Madison. They invited representatives from UW-Madison student newspapers to answer questions on their coverage of diversity issues on campus.
The panelists, consisting of representatives from Associated Students of Madison, the Multicultural Student Coalition, Queer People of Color and the Wisconsin Black Student Union, expressed their support for affirmative action.
\Affirmative action doesn't only benefit one person; it benefits everyone,"" MCSC executive staff member Theresa Viduarri said.
Panelists supported administration initiatives to increase campus diversity, but felt the initiatives were not effective enough.
Leon Carlos Miranda, chair of the ASM Plan 2008 campaign, said he was troubled by the current direction of Plan 2008.
""I have a problem with Plan 2008 putting goals together without real direction in how to accomplish those goals,"" Miranda said.
Panelists also expressed their desire for Plan 2008 to expand beyond the four currently targeted ethnic groups-American Indians, African Americans, Latinos and Southeast Asian-Americans.
""We can't just sit here and say we're only going to recruit this minority or that minority,"" QPOC Chair Lilia Williams said.
Panelists noted racial discrimination issues were deeper than university admissions policy. They said the problem was rooted in society and the way students are educated.
""Racism starts at home,"" Chris Loving, WBSU President, said. ""Children are taught racism by their parents. ... The media perpetuat[es] more stereotypes, more racism.""
Viduarri voiced concerns about coverage of diversity issues by UW-Madison student newspapers The Badger Herald, The Daily Cardinal and The Madison Observer.
""The campus climate is always reflected in student newspapers. When [newspapers take] the opportunity to ridicule, humiliate or discriminate against people of color, that affects the campus climate.""
Panelists were specifically critical of perceived racially insensitive opinion pieces in The Badger Herald. They presented a packet of three racially oriented editorial cartoons by UW-Madison junior Skye McAllister printed in The Badger Herald.
""When you look at the cartoons Skye writes, they're very controversial,"" Badger Herald Editorial Editor Matt Modell said. ""He in no way singles out students of color.""
However, panelists said they felt The Badger Herald was systematically targeting students of color. Loving said he felt The Badger Herald needs to pay more attention to the veracity of the information it prints.
""To me, I'd just like to see the truth,"" Loving said. ""Stuff like this, the cartoons are just ridiculous. When I see stuff like this, I know this stuff isn't true about my people.\
