Juicy discussion follows ad controversy

October 15, 2009 by Sean Jaramillo 

Differing sides of the argument sit down, come to compromise

Campus groups met Monday to discuss an advertisement that has drawn outrage and controversy from some community members.

Student body leaders, faculty and a group of graduate students met with representatives of The Rebel Yell Monday in the Multicultural Center-Centro Multicultural to discuss the “Juicy Lucy” character adorning advertisements for the Grind Burger Bar.

The ad features a cartoon rendering of a nude woman, tattooed with the dividing symbols used on diagrams of cattle to denote areas of meat. Above the woman is the phrase, “After a hard day, unwind with something tender.”
Those in the meeting came to an agreement over how best to deal with the backlash to the advertisement and the questions that have arisen since its publication.

Opponents of the ad who were present at the meeting plan to collect content for an eight-page advertising insert in a future edition of The Rebel Yell.

Haley Etchison, managing editor of The Rebel Yell, said the additional pages of the paper will be treated as advertising space, without editorial oversight by the paper, but that the paper will not profit from the sale.

Although Etchison was unable to attend the meeting, she voiced her support for the solution that was reached.

“I support the suggestion to purchase ad space for the students to voice their opinions,” Etchison said.

The publication of the proposed insert may be followed by an open forum debate on the issue. Etchison is unsure whether the paper would participate in the debate if asked.

“If we were to participate, it would only be to discuss the role of the press in college publications,” Etchison said, adding that there are ethical considerations as far as the paper’s involvement goes.

S. Charusheela, associate professor of women’s studies and graduate adviser for the department of women’s studies, said that she was impressed by the way all involved parties handled themselves.

“Our goal was to get the groups together and talk,” she said. “I think they got that. It was good being able to see the students work this out.”

Dr. Francis Curd oversaw the meeting and said that he was there to facilitate the process.
Curd also said he was impressed at how smoothly the meeting went.

“I think it definitely went well. This is an institution of higher education and [the forum] can give a variety of opinions,” said Anthony Guy Patricia, a UNLV graduate student whose opinion piece in The Rebel Yell about the ad sparked debate.
Patricia attended the meeting and said that his initial goal was to get Juicy Lucy removed from the ad but that he was pleased by the way the meeting turned out.

One of Patricia’s biggest supporters has been Gina M. Sully, a doctoral candidate in the English department.
She felt that this plan could be good to show that UNLV is a place where multiple views can coexist and be debated.
“I think it was a good meeting. It went well and now we have a plan and we can move forward,” Sully said. “I am pleased that [action] went forward so quickly and it was good of the Multicultural Center to mediate this.”

Yamini Piplani, opinion editor for The Rebel Yell, said she felt the meeting started rough, but she is satisfied with the agreement.

“I think it was the best compromise we could have come to,” Piplani said. “Our readers find [the issue] to be important and it’s our responsibility to make sure they have a forum to voice their opinions.

CSUN President Adam Cronis and Graduate and Professional Student Association President Jessica Lucero attended the meeting and will propose to their respective councils to aid in the funding of both the insert and forum.

The raising of this issue, Patricia says, will teach a valuable lesson to students at the school.

“We want people to be educated and to know that they can question things and make a difference,” Patricia said.
Etchison agreed that there are many lessons the student population can learn from this.

“I’m glad that equality issues have been raised and discussed because of this ad,” Etchison said, “but I hope people can understand the importance of free student press and that our ethical challenges did not terminate in [solely] pleasing the largest number of people, or the most vocal.”