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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1963)
Parking Study Cleveland Firm May Get Results That Point Towards ‘Closed Campus’ We remember the ASUO Senate’s efforts to find some reasonable recommendations to make to the administration on campus parking last year. In several meetings the Senate wrestled with the problem and then finally decided that it was insoluble for a student government organization. Recalling the complexity of the prob lems the Senate faced, we are not at all susprised to see the University allocate be tween $5,800 and $7,000 in order that a Cleveland consulting firm can make a study of campus parking. The present problem of finding parking space for 5.985 regis tered student and faculty cars is a difficult one. The space is there, it's just not very close to the center of the campus. WThile present-day problems are being met somewhat adequately, the future holds what at times appear to be insurmountable parking problems. The number of cars on campus will be greatly increased in 1972, for instance, when University President. Arthur S. Flemming, predicts there will be 18.000 students here. Consultant Lawrence Lackey, in his planning study already conducted for the University, indicates he thinks 27 acres of commuter parking will be necessary in addition to existing off-street spaces. As he puts it, “It is manifestly impossible to sacrifice this amount of surface area within the campus proper.-’ He suggests that, “careful consideration be given to dual use of land areas by placing parking facilities under play and open areas.’’ Another principle Lackey advocates is. “to disperse major parking facilities, to locate them on the periphery of the cam pus to avoid automobiles within the cam pus, and to provide easy access to adjacent thoroughfares and streets. Lackey also suggests specific locations for some lots, and in addition recommends that Thirteenth Avenue. University Street, and Agate Street be closed to through traf fic and converted to pedestrian areas avail able to service and emergency vehicular circulation. At first glance there might seem to be a strong possibility that the Cleveland firm will just duplicate what Lackey has al ready done. As J. 0. Lindstrom. University business manager, explains, however, the new study will attempt to identify specifi cally on a map how big the parking lots should be and where they should be. It will also indicate the best campus traffic pattern. And State Board of Higher Edu cation members have indicated they want the study to take into consideration possi ble restrictions on the use of cars on cam pus by students. The latter will undoubted ly be a knotty problem, for it is not an easy thing to determine a basis of need for trans portation. and who can and who can't af ford other means of travel in terms of alternative ways to get to and from home during vacation. In the final analysis, we believe that probably the best justification for the up coming parking study and the money spent on it is that it will provide the University with more fuel to light a fire under hesi tant community leaders so that this campus might become closed to through traffic in the near future. Statistics of Interest Some interesting facts and figures occas sionally crop upjtvhich seem to us to throw light upon what we have called "‘the year of crisis for higher education in Oregon.” We here pass them along to you. • In a recent article in Saturday Review, it was pointed out that by 1965 over half the population of the nation would be under the age of 25. • In a recent letter-to-the-editor in the Eugene Register-Guard, Richard W. Lind holm, Dean of the University’s School of Business Administration stated that in 1960 Oregon spent 4.8 per cent of its personal income on local schools, and 1.18 per cent of the personal income of its residents on higher education. Using Washington, Cali fornia. Colorado, Minnesota, and Florida as comparison states. Dean Lindholm noted that Oregon's percentage of expenditures on higher education was lower than all but Florida. • In a recent General Sociology class, the professor pointed out that the United States spends between 2.6 and 3.0 per cent of its gross national product upon educa tion, while Russia spends 7.4 per cent. • Ten years from now the estimated college-age population in Oregon will be 255.236. The number enrolled in public institutions of higher education in this state at that time is forecast at 74.676. At the University alone, an estimated 17.000 18.000 are expected by that time. • The money now spent nationally for annual research and development is about $16 billion, 160 times what it was in 1920. That which is now spent nationally for all types of education is $28 billion annually, only 11 times over the 1920 figure. Observations After seeing Maurice Evans and Helen Hayes give a worthwhile presentation of Shakespeare Saturday night, two observa tions once again impressed us. The first is that among the large turnout of 7,000, there must have been five towns people and faculty members present for every student. This ratio existed despite the fact that students were permitted with out admission charge. This lack of students can be interpreted in many different ways. Many might blame a lack of advance publicity. Others prefer to place the blame for the student disinter est both in the Hayes-Evans performance and in the earlier broadcast of the opening of the National Cultural Center upon a disturbing deficiency in the cultural sophis tication of University students. The reflec tion cast upon any University by such stu dent disinterest is not a very good one. The second impression which we once again carried .away from the performance is how badly Eugene needs a new auditor ium. Although it seemed as if one could hear every cough and every door creak throughout the performance, Evans, him self, was. at times, inaudible. Of course, it is also too often forgotten that if the performance were held in an auditorium 7000 people may not have been able to attend. The conflict between audi ence size and acoustic quality is not easy to settle. '\..ANC> Slop .CALLING- N\t; ^A/\Aa.a,a \Y J *»- » 'SHORTY'/" M Vertrees Views on the Governor s Education Budget Proposals It is the policy of the Emerald to print columns in this space by students and faculty Mho have something of interest to say. In the future, as in the past, the views in this space Mill not necessarily represent those of the Emerald Editors. by Bil l, VEKTRKES ASl'O Senator The University of Oregon and all other state institutions of higher learning have their necks on the "Hatfield Guillotine” this year. The prospects of an all too short sighted legislature hardly make the picture any brighter M'hen one adds a couple of om niscient fiscal officers, the funer al of public, higher education in Oregon is complete. There should be some consolation, however, in the fact that the degradation of public education will form a stepping stone to ward political greatness for someone. The Governor seems to have overlooked the fact that Ore gon needs more tax revenue. This is especially the case since all of the state reserves are gone. What Mr. Hatfield terms an appropriate share of state monies for higher education is simply not enough—a question which is artfully begged. Rather than face this question, he ex pects enlightened men to be ov erwhelmed by the crumbs from the politician’s table Reason for bids. The time has come when we must call crumbs crumbs and recognize political opportunism for political opportunism NO ONE with any sense should fall for the business con cerning the alienation of officials in other state agencies if we criticize the Governor s budget These officials, I surmise, are in the same boat as higher educa tion. It is a pretty trite trick to pit all state agencies against each other and then be the only victor on the field This trick is as transparent as it is trite. I trust that every legislator as well as every state agency will see through it immediately. There is nothing, however, that can cloud reason more effective ly than political advancement The song these days seems to be “On To Washington”. I say, hur ry up so that Oregon can get back into gear. I was not aware that the Far West Classic was a display of wealth. If it was, it was only pos sible because many citizens en joy basketball. The capitol build ing, legislator’s salaries, the limousine in which His Excellen cy rides, and the Governor's sal ary are also displays of wealth. 1 can remember when certain parties were going to' ri<Je in their own Ramblers to save money what happened? If we must settle for less than enough, 1 propose selling the limousine, cutting executive salaries, and doing away with all displays of state wealth fil s IIAl.l.. according to >.nr chief, marred the public image of higher education Mr Hall was refused the right to speak at Oregon State, but, the Cover nor indicted that institution al so. A bit inconsistent it seems to me. Someone's short sighted in decision put the time in Oregon in a deuce of a mess for quite awhile This marred the public image of our state government. Who signed the lull giving birth to this confusion? Oregon needs more tax reve nue and most state agencies need more money in order to more effectively serve the pub lic. The Governor's answer to higher education is that we "should also indicate where the money will come from and pro pose general means of revenue”. I thought that this was one of the Governor's responsibilities. At least he always talks about getting more revenue by bring ing more industries What in dustries can you honestly say, Governor, have come to Oregon because of your programs? Has the industrial growth of Oregon been any greater than it would have been had someone else been governor? THE TRUTH, as I see it, is that there is no political mileage in proposing tax reform. To pro pose even a sales tax would lose votes. A politician's politician simply would not do this. How ever, if one could get higher education to do this and take the blame he would. Who, then, (Conlintii’d mi I’litie 3) OREGON DAILY EMERALD Thr Oregon l):iily Emerald is published seven times in September and fur days a wrek (hiring the school year, except (hir ing examination and vacation periods by the Student Publications Hoard of th* T’niversity of Oregon. Entered .»* second class matter at thr post office, Eugene, Oregon. Snhscription rates: $5 per year; $2 per term ()pinion» expressed on the editorial page ase those of The hmerald and do not pr* tend to represent the opinions of the ASl’O or the University. RO\ Bl'KL, Kditor MARTY KKTF.I.S, Husiness Manager TKI) MAHAK, Managing Kditor K VKR ETTE 1) KX X IS. Xrws Kditor pun, ronswKU,, Editorial Page Editor LARRY \VI UJAMS, Advertising Manager LARRY CKAVKS, Sports Editor DCI.CY MORAX. Assistant Managing Editor