A new class is allowing students to shape the content of next month’s Tunnel of Oppression event.

This is the first year EDL 281 – Event Planning and Leadership/The Tunnel of Oppression, a two-credit class, has been offered, said Kara Curcio, the course instructor and a Residence Life hall director. There are 15 students enrolled in the class.

Formerly

organized by Residence Life’s El Mundo Diversity Committee and volunteers, the Tunnel of Oppression will now take on a new perspective through the eyes of the students, Curcio said.

“”I think it has been really interesting to hear what students have seen on campus, and we’re definitely reaching out to a different population of students,”” she said.

The students get to research and choose which events they want to incorporate into the tunnel. Curcio said the two main areas of focus have been the ongoing genocide in Darfur and body-image issues.

The Tunnel of Oppression consists of a set of scenarios in which students act and role-play different situations centered around the “”-isms”” of discrimination, including racism and sexism, as well as homophobia, disorders and genocide, said Sharon Overstreet, Residence Life associate director for residential education.

“”It’s really interesting to watch the students, because it’s mostly them teaching one another through the experiences they’ve had in life as well as on campus,”” she said.

After touring the tunnel, students process the experience with a facilitator and reflect on what they have learned, Overstreet said.

The first half of the semester, the students focused on the academic side of the class, she said. Now, they are broken into different groups that focus on the specifics of the event, such as marketing, acting and reservations.

Acting auditions were held last night and will be held again

tonight in the conference center at El Portal, 501 N. Highland Ave., from 6-9 p.m., Overstreet said. Auditions will continue Friday from 1-5 p.m. and are open to anyone in the UA community.

“”I’ve taken a lot of classes in diversity and now I can apply everything I’ve learned,”” said Natalie Boras, a psychology sophomore and a member of the budgeting and reservations groups.

“”We’re trying to spread awareness about oppression,”” Boras added. “”It’s kind of like community service in a class.””

The class was proposed by both the Center for Student

Involvement and Leadership and Amanda Kraus, Residence Life coordinator of graduate and international housing.

“”(Kraus) thought it would be a good idea to recommend we have a class for this, and the education department ended up sponsoring the class,”” Overstreet said.

The class is also working with Greek Life for help with funding and promotion, the Residence Hall Association, which is providing volunteers, and the University Activities Board.

“”We’re really excited to see where this class takes us,”” Curcio said.

The 10th annual Tunnel of Oppression will take place in Kaibab-Huachuca Residence Hall on Nov. 27-29 from 6-10 p.m. An average of 1,200 students visit the tunnel each year,
Overstreet said.