On Friday I received two e-mails. One was from the Government of the Student Body regarding the Principles Commission, which was created to prepare recommendations for response to acts of bias and hate and recommendations for response toward the development of a more inclusive and diverse campus community. The second e-mail I received indicated that the Ames YWCA, an organization on campus and in the community dedicated to the elimination of racism, will be dealing with a major budget cut – 47 percent – because this was recommended by GSB representatives to the Analysis of Social Services Evaluation Team.

Apparently the GSB only talks the talk in support of a diverse campus community.

I have been a member of the YWCA for at least 10 years. It works for young girls, mothers, parents, women of color and international women regardless of faith. It is involved in scholarship-raising and Take Back the Night, and helped organize the Race Against Racism last fall. If you would like to read about it, look at the ISU home page under Y. It does excellent work that often goes unnoticed except by the people it helps. It has an excellent and caring staff.

Since I have indicated above that GSB does not seem inclined to put its money where its mouth is, I will try and do so soon on a small scale. I will pay the membership fee of the first two people who e-mail me at [email protected], indicating that they would like to be new members of the YWCA.

Linda Wild

Senior

Biology