No foreign language posters?

Taualumna · #1 03-01-2004, 12:59 PM

http://www.thevarsity.ca/news/622278.html?mkey=1157257

I think it is a great idea. One shouldn't exclude people from finding out information! As an undergrad, I attended a university where the Chinese Students' Association often had ads that were in Chinese only. That totally excluded a whole segment of the student body who were ethnically Chinese but could not read or write the language (and believe me, there are lots of us out there). Maybe we want to find out more information. If one cannot understand what the poster says, then we wouldn't go, unless we knew someone who was involved.

RACooper · #2 03-01-2004, 01:16 PM

Actually the underlying reason for the ban on foreign language postings was not so benign...... There has been some pretty nasty things posted by both the Palestinian Students Assoc. and Hillel with insults and racial slurs used by both groups, mostly over the construction of the new Jewish Students Centre by the AC (the building that used to be there was a dinner that the owner used to let the Palestinian Student Assoc meet at.) Some complaints had been brought forward to Governing Council, but it was determined that both groups did not support or tacitly approve of the posters in question (ie. it was the actions of individuals), and in many cases the people posting were not even students at UofT (mostly York or Ryerson students when caught and questioned)..... so a recommendation was handed down that it would be far easier for the student body to monitor the content of postings if the majority could read them, and hence SAC decided that if everyone (hopefully) could read them, maybe it would be easier to stop hateful postings (like the anti-gay ones three years ago).

Taualumna · #3 03-01-2004, 01:37 PM

Wow, that certainly sucks, Coop! Does that mean all posters have to be in English or French? Does this affect GLOs in any way (even though we aren't exactly recognized)? Do we have to actually spell our letters out now?

kappaloo · #4 03-01-2004, 02:02 PM

I kind of wish they would do that here. And force groups to hold meetings in at least some English. I have friends who tried to join certain ethnic clubs (which they were historically) but dropped when the entire club was based in the language (all meetings, e-mails, posters, discussion was in the native language ONLY). I could understand that if it was a ABC Language club, but it was the ABC Students Association.

RACooper · #5 03-01-2004, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taualumna
Wow, that certainly sucks, Coop! Does that mean all posters have to be in English or French? Does this affect GLOs in any way (even though we aren't exactly recognized)? Do we have to actually spell our letters out now?

In theory someone could be a pain in the ass about it... but I don't see much of a change happening in reality.... most students really don't care what SAC does, and those that do really (and I mean really) don't like Artful-Dodger. So you might see more posters in English if the club or group draws alot of funding from SAC but otherwise I don't see much change happening in the tidal wave of postering that hits UofT each week.

Only official postering has to be in English (or French but I can't see much of that)...... it is just an attempt to curb some of the hate filled posters you might see around campus..... and to try and get more students involved (God knows UofT needs that).

RACooper · #6 03-05-2004, 04:48 AM

...update....

Well it's been re-pealed/modified because of the many complaints raised.... the reality of the various statements is the student council didn't want people/candidates campaigning on an "ethnic" balot or ticket....

Taualumna · #7 03-05-2004, 10:55 AM

Interesting....most letters to the editor yesterday seemed to support it (including mine!).

RACooper · #8 03-05-2004, 02:53 PM

Well the deal is now that yes you can post in any language you want.... but it must also include a complete translation in English or French (size 12 type), and be certified(?) by a professional translator or professor (at the posters expense).

What happened at the campaign rules meeting was more or less a truckload of shit hitting the fan.... as soon as it was announced some candidates started screaming bloody murder, as they had already printed up all of their campaign posters in Mandrin...... and they started a petition to repeal the ruling while the meeting was still going on..... all the while stating it was an anti-asian campaign by the "white" students.