+ EMERALD EDITORIALS +
4 Vote for Hinkson
X
The Oregon Daily Emerald is supporting
Bud Hinkson of the Associated Greek Stu
dents for president of the Associated Stu
dents of the University of Oregon.
Three weeks ago or three days ago our
choice might have been a different one—
it was neck-and-neck. It is no longer so, in
our opinion. Some time ago we decided
that it would be the issues on which we
made our choice, but there must be less
concrete reasons—reasons which both go
into and grow out of a person’s thinking
about issues.
The subjective, or less concrete reasons
for our choice are two:
1. Hinkson is able to think on his feet. A
glib speaker, or even an outstanding speaker,
is not always the better man. Hinkson is
neither glib nor outstanding as an orator, but
is able to speak forcefully on his views of
issues out of what we believe to be a sincere
conviction.
2. Slow and cautious in giving a project
his wholehearted support, once Hinkson de
cides to accomplish something he doesn't
rest until it's accomplished.
Reference: Operation Easter Egg. This
one project no more qualifies Hinkson for
the student body presidency than the chair
manship of the senate crime commission
would have qualified Este?, Kefauver to be
president of the United States (though there
was some talk of it). But the execution of the
project is an indication of the dogged deter
mination inherent in Hinkson's character—
and this determination might be the spark
that will reactivate student government on
this campus.
On the more concrete issues and qualifi
cations, our reasons are three:
1. The candidates’ conception of the of
fice of student body president: Hinkson
sees the public relations function of the
office as the number one duty. Next in
order, he ranks the task of finding out what
the students want and of taking it to the
senate, and third, he sees the function of
organizing and running an effective stu
dent government.
Sam Vahey, United Independent Students
candidate, sees the first duty of the president
as carrying out the legislation passed by the .
senate. Second in importance, he ranks the
task of introducing legislation, and third, the
duty of looking for problems that concern
the students.
The candidates talked about their concep
tions of the office during interviews with the
Emerald editorial board.
2. The all-campus (open) primary: We
are the first to applaud Vahey’s statement .
that action cannot be taken to abolish the
open primary until a better system is
found. We disagree with the idea that there
is no better system. Hinkson wants to do
away with the complex, often-meaning
less open primary—so do we.
Branching off from this discussion is the
issue of the current political parties — Valley
favors the Greek vs. Independent split.
We won't mix words—we think it stinks.
Hinksotl phrases it more delicately, but his
thoughts are the same: The current align
ment is not a realistic one. or one calculated
to arouse the greatest interest and participa
tion in the student body.
3. Greek Week, or the Discrimination
Issue: Perhaps this belongs as the back
ground for one of the reasons in the first
category, rather than in a separate cate
gory.
H ink son believes purely and simply that
it Independent students feel left out when
Greeks are holding all-Greek functions it’s
the responsibility of some group other than
the Greek houses to provide a replacement
activity.
Perhaps it was the shrewdness of the ques
tioning, but when asked about this problem
after he had taken an initial stab at ('.reek
Week, Yahey implied that if the Independ
ents were the ones doing the discriminating,
it might not be so bad. We know he doesn’t
hold this belief, but it's indicative of the sur
face-type thinking \ alley has done on several
issues.
In conclusion, we still think it will be a
close race.
Vahey has been in student government
longer than Hinkson—and he’s one of our
best and most dependable workers on the
Emerald. He has a quality of youthful en
thusiasm that is compelling — and that
would bring positive action if he were
elected.
But these things alone do not make a stu
dent body president.
That is why we will vote for Hinkson.
...For Senator-at-Large
Action—action that comes as a result of
thoughtful study and constant questioning
of ideas—is the element we think the voters
should consider when electing an ASUO
senate.
This, of course, refutes both the theory
and the reality of campus elections as
popularity contests. If our aim is to show
that we really haven’t matured any since
high school — then we should vote a
straight party ballot or vote for the “neat
est guy” or the girl with the most activity
points.
Hut this type of voting will result in a sen
ate that reflects the maturity of its electors—
they won’t question things, they’ll just raise
their hands or mumble "aye” when called
upon to vote.
Using either records or potential for posi
tive action as a basis, we’ve worked out what
we think is the best possible senator-at
large list for next year. It contains five AGS
candidates, four l IS candidates, some ex
perienced in student government, others not
so experienced—all possessing what we be
lieve are the necessary qualities.
Assuming that the number one vote goes
to one of the presidential candidates, here’s
the Emerald’s idea of the best senator-at
large slate: (2) Darrel Brittsan, AGS; (3)
Anne Ritchey, AGS; (+) Chuck Mitchel
more, UIS; (5) Dick McDaniel, UIS; (6)
Louis Blue, AGS; (7) Sue Lamb, UIS;
(8) Dave Lobb, UIS; (9) Rob Roy, AGS;
and (10) Walt Ching, AGS.
It’s a senate that would be likely to ques
tion the things they're asked to pass upon—
rather than just raise their hands mechanical
ly. It would, in our opinion, be most likelv to
argue and discuss intelligently the issues at
hand.
It’s our idea of what a student senate
should be.
PRIZE WINNING ESSAY
Student Government
On The UO Campus
(Ed. Not#: The following I"
the essay by Anno Rite hoy,
junior in journalism, which
won tho A SCO senate's content
on "Student Government on
tho University of Oregon Cam
pus.’’)
Student government on the
University campus Is unusual, in
that its role in relation to tho
student body is continually
changing. Actual governmental
structure, if it can be called that,
between student and faculty
areas of administration is rel
atively stable.
But the actual function of this
structure is little-known to most
students and therefore, In then
eyes, students' role in tho whole
setup changes from time to time.
It is because of this that I main
tain it changes with each n<-w
entering class.
Joe College und Betty Co-ed,
who come here from every
where In the stute and many
neighboring states, know little
about college administration
In general or administration
of this one In particular. There
fore their early Interest is
shown only at election times,
which is something they have
had some eontuet with as sen
iors in high school and e\en
before.
And the difference accounting
for varying degrees of student
interest in elections, regardless
ol isuues that may present them
selves or be ‘‘drummed up” by
candidates, is in individual per
sonalities.
Perhaps this is a carry-over
from high-school days for all of
us, when the football captain
•was about the most important
person in school and the chair
man of a dance, at the time that
dance took place, was a real stu
dent leader.
The usual channel for creating
idols begins with the freshman
elections each year, when candi
dates for the four freshmen of
fices look around, make quick
decisions and campaign furiously
on the basis of things that will
make freshmen "interested” in
the University and their role in
it as freshmen.
The propose to change the
dormitory system, or th<- pro
pose bigger and better social
functions for freshmen, or they
propose a new and different
Frosh Sno-ball ... or the com
plete abolition of it.
Some of them are a little more
conservative, and they turn to
the experienced politicians, eith
er in their own Greek houses or
among friends of these older
students in their own houses.
From them they learn that
there has never been a “differ
cnt" Fronh Hnn-hnll; thnt you
cannot change the dormitory
»)»tem; that freshmen tradl
t tonally complain about lrn»h
inan social functions anil Just
a*, truilltlonally refuse to parti
cipate or to offer conNtnictlve
help for them.
The conservative freshman piv
litirtans. unless th«y have a very
powerful house backing them,
seldom get far Ijecause they have
gained the depressive wisdom of
their elders and In-gin to wonder,
really, why they want to is* on
the Senate anyway, If It can't
do anything.
Occasionally one of them is
elected to a freshman office,
when he is joined on the Senate
by hie classmates who have cam
paigned on the basis of their en
thusiasm and their "neat ideas."
From then on the four of them
begin to get disillusioned to
gether.
Because, as It is actually set
up. student government operates
within relatively rigid limits.
But more of these individual
student personalities, the ones
especially In the Junior and sen
ior ( lasses each year, help create
ih* impression that there are ac
tually many powerful things be
ing done each year.
They *cc to It that their work
la publicized and that it entail*
a program on which many stu
dent* work... the more that
work the more important the
campus sees the project.
Blit. In one way, they are not
wrong. Because it l* the work,
done on the Initiative of a
daw or a tingle student lead
ei, that I* responsible for any
major change In ntudent gov
ernment’* role a* it change*
from year to year.
As a body, the Senate doe*
much work. But it is, on the
whole, routine work. It Is not
the same from year to year, or
even from term to term within
one year, but it is nevertheless
routine. It has to be.
Without the senate there
would be no student voice in the
U n i v e r s»t y’s administration.
With the Senate much investi
gation and research is done that
would not be done without its
existence.
But, even in view of this rigid
role of the Senate, individuals
can and do play an important
part.
When, for example, a handful
of students decide to revive the
Canoe Fete Eureka, there is n
Canoe Fete, It is staged at the
expense of hundreds of collective
hours’ hard work and actual
physical labor; and the majority
(Continual nn t’lu/c riohtl
or'e-cjoHj?
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P4CQCLD
Thc V;,lly F:"’*r»W '* PU»»li»he«I five da>* a week .hiring the school vrar exert.!
examination and vacation period., l.y the Student toil,licat ions Hoard of the r , f
3"«tmerCV“l el3*" n,i’"'r at ,h« «*••••. Kugene, Oregon. Snl... •
rates: $5 per school year; $2 a term. / 1
Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are those of the writer and do not pretend to
r< present the opinions of the ASl O or the l imersity. I'nsigned editorials aie « ,r,„ hy
the editor; initialed editorials by members ..f the editorial board.
lZ*RY HARRMX. Kdltor "DONNA KIM;ki„;. Smincn ManagS
_PtCK LEWIS. SACLY RVA.nV As'^ditolgitora ""
PAIL 1LK.K.YE, Managing Editor BILL MAINWARINCL AdvartUing 9^
~-°KtJO-S *U E- N<w» Kdit°r NAM V SHAW, t Ml,.. M„ . , , ,
— ->ERRV ci-aussen, chick Mlr« 11ei.-murkT 'IditoS
tySEZfiffiiylr — «a re«..
< hief Makeup Editor: Sam Valiey
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