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Letters to the Editor

Continuing problems

To the editor,

I would like to comment on the recent editorial about the plight of Graduate students here at the university. First, as the founder and president of the United Working Students Association, I would like to commit the support of the UWSA to the Coalition to Organize Graduate students, as they are clearly fighting the good fight, in pursuit of goals that are important to the entirety of this university. Those who would jeer the COGS for their advocating a university child care facility, or increased wages, or any other one of their agenda items is clearly out of touch with the U of A community.

Although the UWSA was formed to advocate, primarily, the interests of the working undergraduate student, we too recognize that the difficulties encountered by graduate students are equally, if not more difficult to overcome. Being a working student, whether one who works in the community to support an education, or one who works in the classrooms and offices of this university in pursuit of an education, is not easy. The issue is complicated when the university denies the most compulsory asisstance, and decisdes, rather, to further compound a bad situation by denying graduate students adequate wages, sub-standard housing, and every other basic neccesity.

Wake up UA! Our grad students are living in housing that is crumbling around them, our respected university lacks the amenities of most major public institutions, grad students and undergrad students alike are paid wages which make it nearly impossible to survive, and the frustration is growing. I am sure that the university bears the working students no ill will....but the fact remains that if these situations are not soon remedied, this university will lose many of it's most important commodities...Students who appear more dedicated to this university than this university is dedicated to them!

Gino A. Duran

Political science and sociology junior

Experiments should be cancelled

To the editor,

Inside sources at the University of Arizona have alerted animal advocates that a new series of experiments are being planned on the university campus.

According to university sources, one of the researchers has been openly derisive of animal welfare laws and complained about not being allowed to perform repeated survival surgeries on single animals.

The planned research on vision and learning will use rhesus monkeys and involve significant stereotaxic procedures, brain lesions and placement electrodes into the monkey's brains, according to sources.

Students have been ordered not to discuss the lab or the experiments publicly or to even admit to the lab's existence.

I urge that this planned experiments are cancelled

Kerry-Ann Baker

London

UA mutilating animals

To the editor,

I am sick over the fact that the University of Arizona is mutilating animals! What possible explanation could there be for cutting into the brains of living monkeys? These experiments are completely barbaric. It is no wonder why the university has ordered their students not to discuss this or even admit to the lab's existence. Obviously the university knows it has something to hide. I hope this situation is fully investigated by the proper authorities. Anyone associated with this inconceivable practice should be arrested and evaluated for mental illness.

Michelle Senne

Saylorsburg, PA

Researchers should be humane

To the editor,

As a concerned Arizona resident, I am writing to express my opposition the proposed vivisection research at the University of Arizona. I understand the research will be on vision and learning, and will use rhesus monkeys. I hope the researchers will explore humane alternatives to vivisection which can benefit science and humanity without torturing innocent animals.

Heather Chase

Sedona, Arizona

Research cruel and unnecessary

To the editor,

I am extremely disturbed by the cruel and unnecessary research planned at the University of Arizona and in particular by the secrecy and lack of respect for life surrounding it. I have been informed that many of the staff are contemptuous of animal humane laws and that students have been told not to discuss the research with outsiders.

Know that this will see the light of day and that news of this horror has spread like wildfire across the internet.

Terrible enough to conceive of this research; worse still to think you can hide it from the world!

Wendy Lochner

Sayville, NY

No reason for suffering

To the editor,

We are upset an disgusted by recent information regarding current and proposed animal experimentation going on at the UofA. Try as we may, we cannot understand the lust for suffering and the wanton cruelty being inflicted on monekys and other animals simply to satisfy the curiousity of a few scientists. We can only imagine the images that must haunt their dreams after a day of torturing animals.

Thankfully, the university's vivisection program is now being exposed to the public. We do not want our tax dollars going for what is little more than the satisfaction of a few sadistic scientists.

We are asking you to please help stop this carnage. We are now ashamed to be alumni of what we thought was a great institution.

John and Nancy Arnold

Green Valley, AZ