"Which leg do you want me to cut off � the spiritual leg or the scientific leg?� queried Jim Rock, a traditional Dakota educator, to a University administrator during a press conference Wednesday outside of University President Bob Bruininks� office. Rock�s words go to the heart of a controversy, the ugly effect of which is clear. The spiritual leg of the University has cancer. Will Minnesota officials� preferential allegiance to science leave it spiritually crippled or will it excise the malignant growth and recognize the need to function more holistically?

For 13 years, Rock has taught math and science at the University�s Ando-giikendaasowin (�seek to know� or �hunt knowledge�) Native American Math and Science Camps. Recently the summer program has been offered money to recruit Apache youths from San Carlos, Ariz. This is a direct example of a �cash for culture� trade Minnesota administrators see as an acceptable trade-off for their participation in the Mount Graham telescope project."

Get the Story:
Dwight Metzger and Joel T. Helfrich: U ignores spiritual aspects of telescope (The Minnesota Daily 5/7)

Related Stories:
Letter: University tried to bribe tribe on sacred site (5/4)
University still wants to fund reservation programs (04/29)
San Carlos Apache Tribe rejects offer on telescope (04/21)