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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1963)
Overhaul Needed Updated Elections System Would Increase Participation The traditional political disengagement of University students is re-emphasized each spring during ASUO elections. The lack of participation on the part of stu dents is due primarily to an elections sys tem which is biased toward the least com petent voters—freshmen women. The focal point of any criticism of the elections system is obviously the appalling lack of polling places. Only five polling places serve an enrollment of more than 8500. Some students have complained that they have waited as long as 30 minutes to vote in the spring student body election. Ironically one of the five polling places is the lobby of Carson Hall, which houses an insignificant 4 per cent of the University’s population whose only contribution is to vote on the basis of emotional appeal. A precinct system with an increased number of polling places proportional to the number of students in various living areas should be established. Specific des ignated polling areas for off-campus and fraternity residents at the west end of the campus as well as additional dormitory polling places in the Hamilton-Bean area are a long-overdue step forward in solving the problem. Additional areas with easy access to students are Deady Hall, the University TheatFe area, and the library. Removing the polling place from Carson Hall will reduce much of the present criti cism directed at the Elections Committee. Polling places apportioned on a repres entative basis would at least organize cam pus elections on the basis of equal oppor tunity for persons of all residence designa tions. It might even promote the return of substantive issues in campus political cam paigns. Over the past 15 years, the ASUO elections have shifted from a lively politi cal party system pitting Greek against In dependent to the popularity contest pres ently in vogue. At the same time if student elections are to promote activism and interest for men ingful issues it will be necessary to omit the selection of junior weekend queens from the same ballot with ASUO officers. The changes suggested above are only a few needed to update the University’s anti quated elections system. The present sys tem was designed for a student body of less than 5000. It is time for the ASUO Elections Committee to recognize their re sponsibility to the student body and review the present system. Other serious questions might be asked about the decadent ASUO elections sys tem. Queries could include the need for secret balloting with voting booths and residence designations on student body cards to assure that only qualified voters participate in the vote for these races. If the Elections Committee begins plans for reform now, a realistic and representative system could be realized before spring elections. University students deserve a fair and unbiased system. It is doubtful that the campus will swarm with vigorous activists overnight, but an improved system would provide an impetus for increased partici pation. Recall—An Urgent Issue A computer system would be necessary to assess all the shortcomings of the ASUO Constitution, but one fault which the Sen ate should consider immediately is recall. The campus political episode last week in which Foreign Student Representative Wolfgang Finkbeiner faced a revolt among his constituents revealed the serious lack in the constitution for any provision to recall or impeach officers. Recall is a device whereby any elective officer may be removed from office by pop ular vote prior to the time his term expires. Such a provision is intended to permit re moval of any officer who proves incompe tent or shows a lack of sympathy with the needs of his constituents and is incorporat ed in both the Oregon and U. S. constitu tions. At present the ASUO Constitution gives students no means to remove a senator or any other officer regardless of how serious the reasons for impeachment or recall. The important issue of the Finkbeiner controversy is not merely the representa tion of foreign students, but the rights of any students who feel they are not ade quately represented and have no means of effectively showing opposition. Paradoxically, the University is tocated in a state which was one of the first to adopt a recall provision in its Constitution. As a state-supported school, the University should logically institute the realistic and democratic measure which Oregon has pio neered. The essential point of recall procedure is the circulation of a petition requiring a sufficiently large percentage of signatures. After the signatures are compiled and cer tified, an election becomes obligatory. Principal advantage of recall is that it would strengthen the responsibility of the official, making him more alert to the needs and problems of his constituents who would not have to wait in exasperation un til the end of his term. The question of the use of the recall is not popularly considered an urgent campus issue, but it does seem that this particular control device would be helpful in giving students the advantage of a fair chance at representation. Footnote “Married students who live in state-sup ported housing have a higher birth rate than those who live in privately-owned housing. They are creating a burden on the school districts.” Rep. C. R. Hoyt (R-Corvallis), speaking before the House Taxation Committe. Letters to the Editor Dizzy Gillespie Emerald Editor: Sunday afternoon we had the privilege of seeing one of the finest musical performances that we have seen since we have been in Eugene. This was the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet with James Moody. The only bad part of the show was the small crowd, which more than likely was because of lack of publicity. Tickets to this show were comparable in price to similar attractions which have been held in McArthur Court, and probably the same show would have drawn a large crowd there. Performers of Gillespie’s cali ber come very seldom to this area, and when they come it seems there should be a suffi cient number of interested peo pie to support their appear ances. Whether it was lack of pub licity or lack of interest, there are a lot of people who missed a fine show. Russ Schuh Senior, Foreign Languages Russ Roberts Junior, Economics HITCH VA'KtR a- *4 /V\A Letters to the Editor Double Standard Emerald Editor: I read with interest your ed itorial entitled, "UO—Friendly or No?”, which appeared in the January 28 issue of the Em erald. The survey conducted by Elias K. Zain on an "accidental sample of 100 foreign students is interesting as well as reveal ing. The most important point is the fact that 80 out of the 100 students interviewed indi cated that they knew American students who were friendly to them. This proves that the Uni versity of Oregon campus is quite a friendly place for the foreign student. The survey further reveals that in the case of 52 students the professor had made ad justments in the courses to make things easier for them. This part of Mr. Zain’s study is rather disturbing. Does it mean that these students had a low IQ or found American system of education difficult to follow or maybe they didn't like to work hard. Of the 100 students in the “accident sample," 80 came from Asia. At this stage it will be interesting to note that a survey which I conducted last fall revealed that there were 448 foreign students on the cam pus. Of these 243 were from Asia, 181 from Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America, and 24 from Africa. Since Asian students outnum ber all other foreign students, it is quite probable that in an other “accidental survey” if conducted, the majority of stu dents will be from Asia. Does Mr. Zain’s survey therefore re veal that Asian students in par ticular like their professors to make things easier for them? If so, this is an unhealthy sign and should be remedied at once. One might also infer that these 52 students were scared of working hard and matching their performance with Ameri can students. When professors make adjustments for foreign students they set a double stand ard of judgment at the Univer sity which is beyond justifica tion. A student is a student first and race and nationality should not be allowed to conflict with the academic standards set up by an institution. A two pronged academic standard of judgment is akin to modifying a state law to suit the needs of a particular case. I lau to agree that race or nationality has anything to do with one’s intelligence. By ac cepting concessions these 52 students accepted the fact that they were inferior academically to their American counterparts, and took advantage of American friendliness. I do wish to congratulate those who, “opposed any such adjustments, expressing the de sire to be treated equally with American students." Judged from the same stand ards as an American student a foreign student should feel proud of his work even if he gets a not too good grade. He can at least tell others with a broad smile that he is as good or as bad as an American stu dent. Mohan Goel Graduate Student Journalism • • * Progress! Emerald Editor: Lite was happy, life was pain Until the blasted A Bomb came Life was joyous, full of fun But then we developed the Megaton Even now we lose our minds And follow useless shelter signs! Gene Poirier Graduate Assistant Anthropology • « • Golden Ghetto Emerald Editor: We were interested to find out about the Golden Ghetto con troversy that is currently arous ing the emotions of foreign as well as native students on this campus. The protagonists of this bold scheme assert that the way to produce the most potent mixture of native and imported cultures is to build a separate dormitory in which the coura geous volunteers could be herd ed together. Even though we are not nec essarily admirers of the honor able Foreign Student Represen (Continued on page 3) OREGON DAILY EMERALD The Oregon Daily Emerald is published •even time* in September and five days a week during the school year, except dur ing examination and vacation periods by the Student Publications Hoard of the University of Oregon. Entered as second class matter at the post offici, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year; $2 per term. Opinions expressed on the editorial page ase those of The Kmerald and do not pre tend to represent the opinions of the ASUO or the University. RON MU EL. Editor MARTY K12TELS, Business Manager TED MAHAR, Managing Editor EVERKTTE DENNIS, Ness Editor PHIL COGSWELL, Editorial Page Ed i tot LARRY WILLIAMS. Advertising Managei LARRY GRAVES, Sports Editor DL LCY MORAN, Assistant Managing Editor DAVE SANDS, JIM FR VKE, JANET GOETZl, Assistant News Edito;s GEORGE HIGH AM, Phou Editor LI^NDi4 BROWN, Entertainr. cut Editor RON COWAN, CATHY NE J\LLE, THOR A WILLIAM'*., Associate News Editoi * EDITORIAL BOARD: Ron Duel, Phil Cogswell, Ted Mahar E 'erette Dennis, Dav< Sands I nicy Moran, Linda frown Hob Forsyth, Hal Snow, Ora it Ledger wood, Dot ( Kagen Jan-1 Gcet;e, and Till H itchison
