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
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•even time* in September and five days a
week during the school year, except dur
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the Student Publications Hoard of the
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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