The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 22, 1993 - 3 Out of the sandbox, college journalists invade White House By DAVID SHEPARDSON DAILY STAFF REPORTER WASHINGTON -The kids were in town and the grown-ups didn't like it one bit. About 40 college journalists, pri- marily from the East and Midwest, went to the West Wing of the White House to cover the signing of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and get a behind- the-scenes look at the workings of the press corps while interviewing celeb- rities and politicians. UPI correspondent Helen Thomas grunted, "out of my way," to students straining to see the president. CNN's Wolf Blitzer accidentally got in the collegejournalist line. APwriter Adam Nagourney joked with students dur- ing President Clinton's speech. New York Times reporter Gwen Ifill laughed at college students trying to hurriedly write down President Clinton's complete remarks, knowing full well that the press secretary would make texts available later. Many college journalists re- sponded by networking or fighting, if necessary, for access. General confusion was par for the course as White House officials did not have complete lists of all college journalists who had requested creden- tials. So, anyone who showed up and looked reasonably like a journalist was allowed into the ceremony, said Ethan Zindler after the ceremony. Zindler is an assistant press secretary in charge of college press relations. College journalists were allowed to "roam" the West Wing and see the inner workings of the offices and see the "real" journalists in action. White House officials invited the college press to the event in hopes that favorable coverage by students-and not simply The Associated Press - would increase interest and spark en- rollment, said a spokesperson. Because the proposal "spoke for itself," White House officials needed to do little more than let the pack loose and listen to the politicians, Zindler said. And listen they did. After the cer- emony, star struck students listened to Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy (Mass.), George Mitchell (Maine), and Harris Wofford (Pa.)pro- pound the benefits of the plan, along with various cabinet secretaries who chatted with students before heading for lunch with Clinton. Many college journalists com- mented that the White House briefing room is incredibly small --about half the size of an East Quad dining hall and much smaller than television pic- tures would lead viewers to believe - as is the amount of space allocated for the press in the basement of the White House. As if cramped cubicles weren't enough, the press invariably is la- beled "juvenile" by long time observ- ers as well as students on a first visit. Yesterday was no different. The regular press wanted to roam the crowd, trying to get interviews with members of Congress on the president's health care plan. The White House said "no." Members of the press started making sarcastic jokes, like "Oh, no, they're going to kick us out." The press secretary snapped back at them, "You don't need to be rude." And so on, to the amazement of stu- dents - many of whom considered this the ultimate job for a journalist. "I can't believe that they act like spoiled brats when they have such an important job," said Lisa Rogers, an Indiana University reporter. In usual manner, the press corps waited 20 minutes after the ceremony for the president to meet with them. But when NBC's Andrea Mitchell asked a difficult question on NAFTA, the president merely ignored the press corps and went back to work. MTV correspondent Tabitha Soren, who does not have a perma- nent press credential for the White House or Capitol Hill, had an inter- view with Clinton about the merits of the service plan after the ceremony. She stood in line with the student journalists, signedautographs and took snapshots of members of Soul Asy- lum, who played a 20-minute set of music. Soul Asylum members, accompa- nied by movie star Winona Ryder, signed autographs and discussed the band's plans with college journalists, who were interested - unlike most of the regular corps who were instead wondering what to order for lunch, said CBS News reporter Bill Plante. Not all of the college reporters "dressed for success." A Columbia University journalist wore an outfit of black leather pants and jacket to the dismay and amusement of members of the press corps. Asian Americans: Lack of ethnic *diversity exists in campus recruiting By SARAH KIINO DAILY STAFF REPORTER Despite its efforts to achieve a multicultural campus, some students say a lack of diversity remains within the University's largest minority group. Asian and Asian American repre- sentation on campus is proportionally larger than in the general population. So these students are perceived as "overrepresented" and are nbt re- cruited with the same fervor as other minority groups, said Assistant Di- rector of Admissions Robert Seltzer. Al Chen of the Midwest Asian American Student Union (MAASU), saidmostpeople from SoutheastAsian backgrounds do nothave the financial and educational advantages as other Asian groups and therefore do not have the same access to an education at the University. Sue Rasmussen, affirmative action planner, said, "The University is re- ally clear about underrepresented groups being recruited more actively." She said Asians and Asian Ameri- cans are overlooked because Univer- sity officials think they have similar backgrounds as white students - fi- nancially and educationally. However, she acknowledged there are Asian subgroups who do not fit into this "model minority" myth. Asian and Asian American stu- dents composed 40 percent of the jniversity's total minority enrollment in Fall Term 1992. Asian and Asian American groups *on campus have been speaking out on behalf of these subgroups - specifi- cally Hmong, Laotians, Cambodians and other Southeast Asians - decry- ing what they see as a lack of diversity within the Asian and Asian American University community. John Matlock, director of the of- fice of academic multicultural initia- tives (OAMI), said while most Asian andAsian American students on cam- pus come from suburban backgrounds, the populations of underrepresented Asian groups are concentrated in poorer urban areas. 'For a University to be truly multicultural it has to encompass all groups, and it hasn't in the case of Asian Americans.' - Marie Ting Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives staff member Varisa Boriboon of the University of Michigan Asian American Student Coalition (UMAASC) attributes the problem to the "modelminority"myth. She said the University does not divide Asian and Asian Americans into theethnic subcategories, soAsians and Asian Americans from disadvan- taged backgrounds are categorized together with the "overrepresented" Asians. "These students are not actively recruited. Those who cannot afford to come to campus are not treated as other minorities," she said. "Economic and ethnic lack of diversity tend to correspond." In an effort to address this prob- lem, Marie Ting of OAMI started Project Lighthouse last year. Project Lighthouse is a program to bring Hmong middle school children from Detroit to the University for a day. Asian American students at the University show the campus to the kids and act as role models. 'ing said after the program, the truancy rate of the Hmong students involved dropped. Matlock said, "We've always had interest in Project Lighthouse. (Itdem- onstrates) sensitivity to that there are groups ofAsian Americans who come from poor backgrounds. One of the things we're trying to do is advocate a greater understanding of differences between ethnic groups and within them." Ting said, "For a University to be truly multicultural it has to encom- pass all groups, and it hasn't in the case of Asian Americans." FLASHING LIGHTS U.S. troops kill 2 armed MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - American soldiers aboard a helicop- ter gunship shot and killed two Soma- lis armed with rocket-propelled gre- Snades MondayafteraPakistanipeace- ' y keeper was wounded in a militia at- tack on U.N. forces. The U.N. troops were sent to help ti Somalia recover from its famine and civil war. They have gotten caught up in a battle with the gun fighters of fugitive militia chief Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Several women were injured Mon- day when rioting erupted among about 400 Somalis outside a food distribu- tion center in Mogadishu. The women were cut and scratched on barbed wire barricades when the crowd surged forward amid rumors that food was running out. The wounded Pakistanisoldier was inspecting amine on October21 Road when his unit came under fire. Capt. Tim McDavitt, a U.N. spokesperson, said the Pakistani's wounds were not serious. October 21 Road in northern Mogadishu is a fre- ,,. quent battleground. After the shooting, the crew of an ~ American Cobra helicopter spotted two Somali soldiers with rocket-pro- 5**.pelted grenades and opened fire on F w. them, McDavitt said. He said both men were killed. The fighting erupted after a night of sporadic battles, with Somali troops firing mortars and U.N. helicopters S.. , replying with rockets and 20mm can- non fire. vR.U.N. officials have issued a war- rant for Aidid's arrest, blaming him for attacks that have killed 50 peace- keeping troops since May. JOSH DETH/Daily In the overnight fighting, the U.N.- A bicyclist passes the Geddes Street bus stop yesterday. The stop boasts a new look, complete with crossing signals and controlled airport was hit by 12 mor- trees shading the median. tar rounds, McDavitt said. Israeli government debates peace accord JERUSALEM (AP)-PrimeMin- ister Yitzhak Rabin put the Israel- PLO accord to the test in parliament yesterday as tensions rose between Jews and Palestinians over the new tie that binds them. "Let the sun rise," Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin told lawmakers, bor- rowing a line from a famous Israeli peace song as parliament began de- bating the agreement. In the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, * Correction . The umbrella organization for the Asian and Asian American student groups on canpus is named the United Asian American Organizations (UAAO). This was incorrectly reported in Monday's Daily. assailants shot to death Mohammed Abu Shaaban, 35, a top leaderofYasser Arafat's Fatah group, Arab reports said. His family blamed opponents of the agreement, but Arab reports said he may have been killed by rivals within Fatah. It was the first political killing since the Sept. 13 signing of the ac- cord and came amid growing fears of a major conflict between Palestinian supporters and opponents of the agree- ment. Widespread violence and blood- shed could limit the ability of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organi- zation to carry out the plan, which calls for limited self-rule in the occu- pied territories, starting in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jeri- cho. In other violence, tens of thou- sands of right-wing Israelis marched from the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's walled Old City, to the Knesset, or parliament shouting "death" to PLO chairman Yasser Arafat. "We won't give away an inch!" they chanted. "Israel is in danger!" Near the Old City's Damascus Gate, demonstrators carrying blue- and-white Israeli flags confronted some 500 Palestinians who raised their own red-white-black-and-green flags. The Israelis broke through police barriers and chased the Palestinians up a main commercial street. The two sides battled with flag poles, but po- lice had no immediate reports of inju- ries. Inside parliament, lawmakers dug in for intense debate expected to last several days. A vote wasn't expected before Thursday to give each member an opportunity to speak out on the accord. Rabin said the balloting on the agreement was a vote of confidence in his coalition government. Rabin appeared to have the back- ing of 61 members of the 120-mem- ber legislature. Labor party leaders were working to widen that margin by negotiating with wavering religious lawmakers of the Shas party. It con- trols six seats and was demanding a national referendum on the peace ac- cord. "This is an hour of goodwill, of great possibilities, and we will do everything not to miss it," Rabin vowed in anationally broadcast speech to parliament, his voice frequently drowned out by hecklers. "We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, say to you today in a loud and clear voice: enough tears and enough bloodshed," Rabin said. "No more." In a 70-minute speech, Likud op- position leader Benjamin Netanyahu called for early elections to test public support for the treaty. He accused Rabin of laying the groundwork for Palestinian statehood, opposedby both major parties in Israel. "It is our historic obligation to try and prevent what could bring disaster to Israel," Netanyahu said. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres rejected the call for a referendum on the accord, saying it would only result in more violence by extremists. Student groups Q Anthropology Club, bi-monthly meeting, 2553 LSA Building, 7 p.m. Q Ninjutsu Club, IM Building Wrestling Room, 7:30 p.m. Q Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club, everyone welcome, CCRB Mar- tial Arts Room, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Q Students of Objectivism, weekly meeting, MLB, B 120,7 p.m. Q Uo f M Cathalic Student Fel- Events Q My Hands are the Tools of My Soul: Poetry of the American Indian, video, U of M Art Mu- seum, 523 S.State St., 12:10 p.m. Q Teach English in Europe, spon- sored by U of M International Center, room 9, 7-8:30 p.m. U What's New for Women in Post-Socialism: The Case of Slovenia, U of M Center for Russian and East Euronean Salecl, CSST Colloquim, 4051 LSA, 4 p.m. U Women's Health Issues Semi- nar, Michigan Initative for Women's Health, speaker: Arlene Taylor, Rackham East Lecture Room, 12-1 p.m. Student services U Psychology Academic Peer Advising, West Quad, room K- 103,11 a.m.-4 p.m. U Safewalk Nighttime Safety rmmmmmmr m I r. 1ff7rr , ; rraiid I I