Diversity Panel Explores Class and Gender Issues

Friendly Discussion Devolves into Heated Debate

By Andrea Smith
Lifestyles Editor

The first Student Diversity Panel, “Class and Gender Issues at CSS,” took place on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in the Multicultural Center.
The purpose of the Student Diversity Panel was to give members of CSS Faculty and Staff the opportunity to talk about issues they felt were relevant to the topic. This open dialogue became, at times, a heated debate over recruitment and multicultural representation on campus, leaving the original topic of class and gender issues at the wayside.
The panelists, Suzanne Yunis, associate professor of English; Stacey Skan-Allen, American Indian Support/

Multicultural Events Coordinator; Brian Dalton, Vice President of Enrollment; and Lee Gustafson, Chair of Social Work, were given a list of topics to review before the panel took place. Moderator Luther Qson, Chair of the Math Department, was on hand to guide the flow of the discussion.
Yunis started by saying that gender and class issues “are not something in my radar. College is too expensive for everyone. I feel that’s an important issue.”
Skan-Allen responded to Yunis turning the discussion from class and gender to multicultural issues. Skan-Allen said that issues like the cost of college should be addressed by more than those affected by it. Often, multicultural students aren’t aware of the overwhelming cost of a college education, and must drop out of

Brian Dalton, Stacey Skan-Allen and Suzanne Yunis discussed “Class and Gender Issues at CSS” at the Student Diversity Panel. Photo by Andrea Smith

CSS because they are unable to afford tuition.
“I’m worn out. I’m absolutely worn out,” said Skan-

Allen, in reference to her attempts

St. Scholastica Honors Auteur
With Film Fest

CSS Protests SOA

Photo Essay by Bri Rossini, page 6

By Aaron T. Rose
Editor-in-Chief

St. Scholastica is about to do something it has not done in recent memory: hold a film festival. Four films from director Ingmar Bergman’s vast body of work will be screened over the next two weekends beginning tonight.
One of the most influential film directors of all time, Bergman’s death on July 30 provided the impetus for the festival.
According to his New York Times obituary by Mervyn Rothstein, “Bergman made about 50 films over more than 40 years. He centered his work on two great themes — the relationship between the sexes and the relationship between mankind and God.” The idea for the film festival

came from assistant Communication professors Ed Smith and Nathan Carroll and assistant library professor Brad Snelling. With the sponsorship of the School of Arts and Letters and the St. Scholastica Library, Smith, Carroll and Snelling brought the fest to fruition.
“Many students I talked to hadn’t heard of Bergman. This is a great chance for students to see some of the work of one of the greatest directors of all time,” said Smith.
“He left an abundant legacy of gripping, stylized films that demonstrate his theatrical and biographical influences,” said Carroll. “His films resonate in your memory with indelible images and haunting portrayals of struggling lives at various