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STUDENTS VOICE DISAPOINTMENT CONCERNING CANCELLATION OF EAGERLY ANTICIPATED VISIT BY AUTHOR DEEPAK CHOPRA TO UIC

April 24, 2002

Contact: Submitted by an anonymous author, endorsed by the Hindu Students Council,  <hindustudentscouncil@yahoo.com>

Within the past several months, plans to host author Dr. Deepak Chopra have come to a close.  Deepak Chopra, author of twenty-six books that have been translated into thirty-five languages, is the leading expert on new age alternative medicine and spiritual health.  The Hindu Students Council at the University of Illinois – Chicago along with the support and sponsorship of several other student organizations initiated contact with Dr. Chopra’s staff in order to arrange a lecture and book-signing at the university.  Because this charity-based event was a community outreach and open to the public, expected attendance totaled around 1,000 people.  Students and faculty were entitled to discounted tickets priced at $10 each.  All proceeds from the event had been arranged to be donated to various charity funds.  

As the event came closer to becoming solidified, many students voiced their excitement and eager anticipation.  Second year student, Sonia Krishnan, expressed her enthusiasm for Chopra’s visit and stated, “I’m looking forward to hearing Dr. Chopra in person and possibly meeting him.”  Krishnan also added, “I am very interested in his message of spiritual well being and by listening to his lecture I hope to gain insight to my spiritual and mental lifestyle.”

First-year bioengineering student, Pius Wong, expressed his interest in the alternative scientific and medical approach advocated by Chopra.  “As a pre-medical student I’m interested in Dr. Chopra’s take on alternative medicine practices and his interesting perspective on healthy living.  I’d be very interested in hearing about his scientific explorations of alternative medicine.”  UIC student Peggy Gatsinos agreed.  “I think it would be very exciting and academically motivating for the students to hear from such a prominent figure in alternative medical education – a field that is almost hidden from students today.”

Plans to host Chopra on behalf of the Hindu Students Council and the supporting organizations were quickly underway and were running quite smoothly until a grave miscommunication arose between Chopra’s agent and the students planning the event.  It had been established that the Hindu Students Council would provide for Chopra’s first class travel, meals, and stay at a premier hotel of his choice.  HSC was also responsible for paying an honorarium for Chopra’s lecture.  However, this honorarium became the issue that stopped the progress of the event in its tracks.  After almost four months of planning, a sample contract was sent to the HSC board that quoted ten times the previously understood fee for Chopra’s seminar.  Chopra’s staff maintains that the fee quoted in the sample contract has always been the same, while HSC contends that the earlier quoted fee differed.  Both HSC and Chopra’s staff are puzzled as to how such a miscommunication arose.  Neither party blames the other for the miscommunication, however Chopra’s staff holds that the fee is nonnegotiable and will stand as stated in the sample contract.  Because HSC and the supporting groups are not-for-profit student organizations, HSC is unfortunately forced to cancel all plans to host Chopra, as the funds cannot be raised to provide for the speaker’s honorarium.

As the news of the cancellation spread, many students voiced their dismay and disappointment.  Pharmacy student Carol Nguyen expressed her concerns.  “As a pharmacy student I am very interested to hear Dr. Chopra’s perspective on alternative and spiritual medical treatment.  It is definitely a disappointment that we are missing out on his seminar.”  Shifali Arora, one of next year’s new members of the Hindu Students Council Board, agrees with Nguyen.  Arora stated, “I am rather disappointed that this opportunity fell through because Dr. Chopra’s visit to our campus would have attracted many university students and would have brought together the academic community of Illinois for an interesting educational purpose.”

Many student organizations have also expressed their disappointment.  Nirav Shah, President of the Golden Key International Honors Society at UIC, voiced his initial anticipation for Chopra’s visit.  “I was very excited that Dr. Chopra may have come to campus in September because he is an influential member of the Indian community and can bring attention to the diversity of the UIC campus.  Unfortunately, due to whatever miscommunication that occurred, I’m disappointed that his presence will not affect the UIC community next year.”

Jill Aguado, member of the Undergraduate Student Government General Assembly and the Asian American Coalition Committee Publications Coordinator, pointed out UIC’s status as a top division research institute that is known for hosting guest speakers of Chopra’s magnitude.  Aguado commented on the many number of UIC students who are interested in Chopra’s expertise.  “Over the years, Dr. Chopra’s impact on the student body population and the UIC community has produced a large following.  This is what saddens me even more, because his presence on campus would have only been beneficial for both the attendees and Dr. Chopra.”

Joyce Chen, Volunteering Chair of the Society of Future Physicians commented, “I’m sure the members of SFP would have greatly benefited from Dr. Chopra’s visit.  It is a great disappointment to our board and our members that Dr. Chopra won’t be coming to the campus.”

Several students expressed concern that a figure such as Deepak Chopra would not negotiate or waive his fee.  Founder and Senior Advisor of the Asian American Coalition Committee, Rena Patel, stated, “I am surprised to hear that such a prominent advocate of spirituality such as Deepak Chopra would place so much importance on the financial aspect of his services.  His visit to the campus would not only bring academic enrichment, it would also bring together the Asian American population here at UIC.  We are certainly sorry that we cannot bring Dr. Chopra to the campus.”  Aguado agreed with Patel and added, “I am further disappointed by the fact that such a strong advocate of humanitarianism would forsake spreading conscious awareness of his expertise for the conditional fee of a marketable profit.”

Resident Assistant Janell Jones added, “A price cannot be put on educational enrichment.  In negotiating his fee, Dr. Chopra’s staff is not settling for less.  They should look at it as a charitable donation of wisdom to university students.”  Jones also stated, “Dr. Chopra would have brought an invaluable gift to the students.  The disappointment that is now felt by the students is just as immeasurable.”

The Hindu Students Council regrets that Chopra will not be visiting the UIC campus.  While HSC understands the necessity of instituting an honorarium for Chopra’s services, they are concerned as to why this fee will not be made more accessible for students.  The HSC Board stated, “We respect Deepak Chopra’s teachings and appreciate his propagation of ideals rooted in eastern philosophies.  This is why we invited him to the campus.  While we understand that a miscommunication occurred, we do not believe that the blame can be applied to any single party.  The issue now is the magnitude of the speaker’s honorarium.  We are troubled that the teachings of Dr. Chopra, which embrace the mission of our organization, cannot be made more accessible to interested students.”        

Perhaps summing up the general feelings of the many interested UIC students, President-Elect of the Asian American Coalition Committee, Cathy Kuo, commented, “The students at UIC are greatly disappointed that a prominent leader in medical education like Dr. Chopra does not have the vision to make his teachings more accessible to students who show so much interest.”

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