Journalism training and professional guidance could be in store for California Aggie reporters as part of an effort to help the student newspaper better serve its culturally diverse readership. The Campus Media Board, which oversees both The Aggie and KDVS radio, agreed last Friday to look into establishing professional-development programs for student reporters and to consider appointing faculty members or professional journalists as advisers. Meanwhile, Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Grey began discussions with ethnic and women's studies faculty and campus deans, vice chancellors and department chairs to address concerns expressed by many minority and female faculty members, staff employees and students that they feel unsafe and unwelcome here. In addition, a group is being assembled to encourage dialogue and provide counseling and conflict mediation. It will work in concert with the media board and the Campus Council on Community and Diversity in addressing concerns. (See letter on page 2.) The actions followed a week of almost daily protests sparked by an April 23 Aggie cartoon that showed a missile striking Hart Hall ethnic studies programs. A meeting held last Friday by the media board, which normally receives little attention, drew close to 100 people, many of them wearing yellow paper armbands bearing the word "Justice." Aggie critics complained that the paper has a history of insensitivity to women and minorities, and demanded changes-including the chief editor's resignation. Newspaper staff members defended their efforts, saying they were doing the best they could without the benefit of a journalism department. They appealed to both the board and their critics for help. The board planned to meet in closed session this week to decide whether any personnel actions against The Aggie were warranted. The board hires both the paper's editor in chief and the KDVS general manager each spring and has the authority to discipline or dismiss them. Aggie Editor-in-Chief Sara Raley said at the meeting that she has no plans to resign before her term ends May 15. Student cartoonist Jonah Ptak said his "Another Dimentian" comic strip had been widely misunderstood. Instead of attacking ethnic studies, Ptak said the cartoon was meant to criticize UC Davis administrators for what he perceived as their lack of support for the programs. In the cartoon, a student using a laser pen inadvertently redirects a laser-guided missile from Kosovo to Hart Hall. The cartoon has Chancellor Vanderhoef describing the action as a "close call." Facing many of his critics at last Friday's meeting, Ptak denied accusations that the cartoon was racist or hateful. "I believe this is one big misinterpretation of the comic," he said. "It's not me. I don't see how people interpret that if Jonah Ptak had a bomb he would walk over and blow [Hart Hall] up." "I don't feel it's right to be putting words in my mouth. It was a statement about Chancellor Vanderhoef," he said to scattered applause. Responding Monday, Vanderhoef pointed to his long record as an advocate for ethnic studies and affirmative action and his involvement in the development of the campus "Principles of Community." Among actions he cited were working to get Hart Hall renovated for ethnic studies programs, arguing before Academic Senate committees the justification for additional faculty positions in the 1980s and helping Native American studies become one of a handful in the country to receive departmental status. In addition, he was a vocal opponent of the UC regents' decision to ban consideration of race, ethnicity or gender in admissions. Last Friday's meeting was marked by raw emotion on both sides, but speakers were rarely interrupted. Several participants described the discussion as an important first step in what they said should be an ongoing dialogue. "This campus is in a crisis," said Winnie LaNier, director of the Cross-Cultural Center. "Both sides are hurting. It's not just a cartoon and it's not just The Aggie. It's the straw that broke the camel's back." She called for establishing "crisis teams" to address people's feelings. "We need to come to some places of understanding or we will end up fighting one another, hurting one another." Regan Richardson, an Associated Students senator, said Ptak had done just what he had asked his critics not to do. "I was really shocked when he said he didn't like people putting words in his mouth. And yet the comic was about him putting words in Chancellor Vanderhoef's mouth. "You need to take responsibility whether you meant it or not," Richardson told Ptak. "These people's feelings are valid. You need to validate them. "If I'm crying about this it's because it has hurt me. To sit here and say it was just a misinterpretation belittles everything. This is not a belittling issue.'' Aggie Editor-In-Chief Raley said the paper made a mistake in publishing the April 23 cartoon. "We really have not been as culturally sensitive as we should be," she said. However, she said she was proud of the more than 100 employees who put out the five-day-a-week paper. Many of the editors, she said, spend 40 to 50 hours a week at the paper, in addition to attending classes. Raley challenged The Aggie's critics to work for the paper. She said she did not intend to resign before her year-long term as editor ends next week. "I refuse to let unwarranted attacks on my character dictate my length of employment at The Aggie," she said through tears. Kylie Ware, campus editor for The Aggie, said student reporters and editors struggle on their own to do their jobs the best they can. "I'd like to appeal to the media board to help us out. Use your resources to bring professional journalists here. We don't have a journalism department here. We are students and we try so hard." Jim Ketchum, a retired news editor for The San Diego Union-Tribune who lives in Winters, said many metropolitan newspapers put their editors through a broad range of training in cultural sensitivity and other issues."I think folks here are operating a little behind the curve," Ketchum said. Aggie staff members will receive diversity-education training before the end of the academic year, but some critics said a one-day session would not go far enough. "There are a lot of steps that need to be taken and I don't feel that diversity training is going to do it, not one Saturday," said Edgar Chen, a student member of the media board. Chen, who is majoring in political science and Asian American studies and minoring in Chicana/o and women's studies, said he was "extremely offended" by a number of Ptak cartoons and The Aggie's handling of the matter. "I'm not going to take this or put up with it," he said to applause, his voice breaking with emotion. The media board unanimously adopted recommendations made by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Carol Wall to: Review editorial principles, policies and practices, and advertising policies, and consider incorporating the campus "Principles of Community" into journalistic objectives; Formalize the process used to review controversial material, possibly appointing faculty members or professional journalists as advisers; Develop a professional-development program for student journalists; Establish a series of diversity-education programs for both media-board members and campus media; and Look at policies and professional development programs used at other universities and colleges, and adopt ones that are appropriate.