UA condemns rape pamphlet

The Undergraduate Assembly unanimously passed a resolution last night demanding that the University recall an acquaintance rape brochure published and distributed this fall. The resolution states that the brochure, published by the Office of the Senior Vice President, uses "victim-blaming language" and does not discuss the issue of acquaintance rape directly. College senior Carla Hutton, who is not a UA member but drafted the resolution, condemned the pamphlet, because it addresses the friend of a rape survivor. Hutton said that this approach buys "into the myth that rape can't happen to them." Hutton, co-chairperson of the Women's Leadership Network, also disputed the use of the "key and keyhole" illustration which dominates the inside page of the pamphlet, saying that it has phallic implications. "As an education tool, it fails in every way, shape and form," Hutton said during the meeting. "Hopefully they will take into account the fact that when dealing with the issue that so much revolves around students, they need to take student input into account," Hutton said last night. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said yesterday at a University Council meeting that few students were involved in the the brochure's production because administrators worked on it over the summer to get it out to "vulnerable" first-year women as quickly as possible. She also said rape survivors helped produce the brochure. She added that the brochure is a first step and that the administration is planning to work with STAAR on revising it. In other business, the UA discussed changing the name of the Oriental Studies Department to Asian Studies. United Minority Council Vice Chairperson John Shu proposed the move, and also chastised the department for failing to employ any full-time Asian faculty, adding that a "qualified Asian perspective is needed." Shu called on the UA, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the UMC to join together to address the issue. The UA also unanimously passed a resolution to form a joint committee between the UA and SCUE to study the need for increased classroom space at the University. The resolution says that the availability and condition of classrooms at the University is currently "deteriorating." The UA also discussed students' problems in receiving mail in the Quadrangle. UA member Alexander Lloyd said last night several UA members will go to President Sheldon Hackney's office this morning to bring the issue to his attention. "If delivering mail is essential to the federal government, than it should be essential to the University," College senior Lloyd said.

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