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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1963)
USNSA ASUO Senate Has the Opportunity To Take a Progressive Step Tonight The members of the ASUO Senate have a rare opportunity tonight to take a signi ficant step forward, not only for student government here, but for the entire Uni versity. The step forward would be to join the United States National Student Asso ciation. Faculty and students who sometimes stand a few paces away, figuratively speak ing, and take a long slow look at the at mosphere which pervades this campus, in variably find themselves labeling the Uni versity of Oregon, “an ensentiallv provin cial school.” Even those who praise our fine faculty will admit that the average University student is really not too con cerned with much else than his own little world of the Student Union, the dormi tory or fraternity, and the grades he will receive next term. And the representatves of these stu dents, ASUO Senators, have consistently reflected this attitude in student govern ment. Their theory has been, “If it doesn’t concern this University directly, let's keep out of it. If it can't directly benefit or im prove upon what we already have here, we don’t want it.” We do not blame the Senators for this attitude. They have cor rectly interpreted the past attitude of their constituents. It is with this background that member ship in NSA, once again comes up for con sideration of the Senate tonight. We believe it is time for each Senator to re-evaluate his position on NSA. For NSA could do a great deal for this Uni versity. And the students of this Univer sity have a responsibility to do all they can to make NSA as good as they can pos sibly make it. The main value of NSA as we see it, is that it is a meeting ground where students can exchange ideas, information, and opin ion. The National Student Congress is the heart of this exchange. A two-week assem bly of student members from throughout the nation, this congress consists primarily of seminars and legislation on bills pre sented by its members. Legislation which the congress passed last year concerned such issues as federal aid to higher education, the House Un American Activities Committee, nuclear testing, the role of the federal government in civil rights, and many other subjects of interest and importance to students who value their role as student citizens. By sending capable delegates, selected by the entire student body because of their stands on national, international and stu dent affairs, to this Congress, the signifi cance of student government on this cam pus would increase greatly. And when these students returned, the exchange of ideas, and issues which are important to students all over the nation, could be called to the attention of the students of this campus. No longer would the University of Oregon stand aside, out of the main stream of American student life. But more than this, a “no” vote by the ASUO Senate would be a renunciation by students of their responsibility in national and international affairs. For what NSA does in these areas is of great value. NSA has held the only non-Communist international union of students together for many years. And student politics around the world are given much more importance than in the U S. NSA holds a Southern Student Human Relations Seminar in the South each year, and also conducts such programs as a recent drive to register Ne gro voters in Raleigh, N.C. NSA is the only group that represents students in the area of higher education on the national level. NSA is the only student group on such bodies as the American Council of Education and the American Association of Deans of Women. In this area, NSA has not wavered in its attempts to maintain academic freedom and student rights and to stimulate democratic student govern ment. Travel study tours, its student govern ment information service, and its college press service should not go unmentioned as direct benefits to the University of mem bership in NSA. With opponents of NSA, we agree that the organization is not perfect. But it is an organization that could bring stimulation and real excitement to our student body. It is an organization that can best be im proved from within. It is an organization that offers the students of this University an opportunity to meet responsibilities they have long neglected on the national and international levels. The choice tonight for the ASUO Senate is one of either taking a long step forward into the mainstream of student activism in the 1960’s, or leaving our student body en trenched in its stagnant ditch of provin cialism. Letters to the Editor / Lethargic Us Emerald Editor: Tradition, once indicative of pride and esprit de corps, seems to be a thing of the past. It now appears that to uphold any tra dition simply takes too much time and energy. Recently a large “0”-shaped object, which is symbolic of something—I forgot what, was removed from Skinner’s Butte. Will we take this insult lying on our back? No, of course not! Suppressing a lethargic yawn vvc will merely roll over on our side and look the other way. Jerald Tucker Sophomore in Business * * * Amendment Emerald Editor: Dear Mr. Pearson: I have, of late, heard a rumor concerning the conservative political move ment in this country which dis turbs me, and concerning which I hope you can enlighten me. Is it reaalv true that the conserva tives in this country want to make certain changes to the Constitution of the U.S. in the following vein? Article I “Congress shalj make no law respecting the establishment of religion (read; “conservatism”) or prohibiting the free (read; “conservative”) exercise there of: or abridging the freedom of speeeh (add; “for conserva tives,”) or of the (add; “conser vative”) press; or the right of the people (read; “conserva tives”) peaceabiy to assemble and to petition the (add; “con servative”) Government for a redress of greviances (add: “con cerning liberals.”) L. D. Scott Grad. Student Psychology * * * Theft Charge Emerald Editor: In announcing the recent rash of thefts on campus. II. P. Barn hart bbserved that the thefts coincided with fraternity initia tion week. The thefts also coin cided with Religious Forum Week, and followed the tuition raise. If any of you hate frater nities, religions, or tuition-rais ing legislatures, now is the time to draw brave and ingenious im plications. But keep this in mind: the charge of theft, whether by sneaky innuendo or by direct accusation, is not a funny busi ness. W. J. Holly Sophomore in Philosophy * * * Misleading Signs Emerald Editor: I am dismayed at the appear ance of “Fallout Shelter” signs on camnus. The entire civil de fense program is misleading. It implies that -,ve may be sale in the event of nuclear war. It may condition us to accept nuc lear war as tolerable anti even desirable. It may condition us to accept a military way of life, which is inconsistant with our country’s tradition. For these reasons it mav increase the like lihood of the very war it poses 1 S/vf t*)NT tluST LEAH FORWAKb." What People Are Saying On Membership In USNSA “The United States National Student Association has a 15-year record of outstanding service to the American student, his campus and his nation. Its contributions to international understanding and cooperation and to im proving the welfare of individual students are vast —The Michigan Daily, fniversit} of Michigan. * * * “The NSA congress was not only a legislative meeting, but an intensive educational process as well.” —The Daily Texan, University of Texas. * * * “USNSA would be a very fine thing for the student government of this University to join ” —University President Arthur S. Flemming. * * * “The National Student Association has splendidly artic ulated our national ideas and reflected the vigor of our college and university young people. The WSA has be hind it years of useful activity and experience. It has made generous and effective contributions in many areas of public policy—foreign affairs, civil rights, academic freedom and international student exchange.” —President John F. Kennedy. * • * "1 welcome this opportunity to congratulate each of your members on the splendid work you are doing to advance student aims and to contribute to our American way of life.” —Richard M. Nixon, former Vice President of the United States. * * * “The Thirty-seventh Annual Meeting of the American Association of University Professors welcomes the devel oping program of the National Student Association for making an informed student opinion effective in Ameri can higher education and for extending the influence of free education to other parts of the world.” —American Association of University Professors. to protect us from. I urge the members ot this university to refuse to participate in a pro gram which is useless, at best, and very probably dangerous. Joyce L. Ktnrich Institute of Molecular Biology About Letters Letters to the editor must be signed and should include, if' from a student, the writer’s year and major. If not from a student they should contain the writer’s position at the Univer sity or his address. The Emerald will also publish intelligently-written columns of campus or more general interest either by students or faculty members. Columns submitted should also be double spaced. Preferred length is <?e*ween two and three typewritten pages. OREGON DAILY EMERALD The Oregon Ij.uIv Knicrild in published seven limf* m September and fivr da •» week during the h'IumI year, except dur ing examination and vacation period- hy ?Hr Student Ptibli* a! in* Ho?rd of the I’nivemity of Oregon Knterrd a* second class matter at the po*t office, Kugenr, Oregon. Subscription rate* $5 per year; $2 per term. Opinion* expu-wd o»t the editorial page ane thone of The Kmerald and do not pre tend to represent the opinions of the ASl'O or the lTiivcr*ity. RON ItlKK. 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