Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1963)
Decision Time Again Senate Should Stand for Its Ideals Whether On Campus or Not The ASUO Senate will be considering two motions tonight. One is to request funds to send a student and a faculty member to Mexico to study the possibility of a student project being, established there. The second will call for support of the right of student organizattions at Stan ford University to take public stands on issues affecting affairs beyond their camp us without prior University approval. Neither seems to us to be too contro versial. The motion to allow student organ izations to make public stands without University approval, is merely a matter of freedom of speech. Stanford University organizations, like organizations of individ uals not attending a University, should have the right to say whatever they want about whatever they want. They will be held responsible under libel law for what they say publicly. This is really all that limits an “outside” adult’s freedom of speech. A student’s right should be simi lar. The Mexico project stems from a com mittee established by ASUO President Neil Goldschmidt at the first of the year. It may eventually offer an opportunity for students who are interested in doing some thing of value, to contribute their time and efforts to assist needy Mexicans. It may also offer a chance for students to learn something about people in another land. It i? our belief that projects which offer real aid, such as this one, should be more numerous in student government. If stu dents should not be thus idealistic, who should? But we are afraid the ASUO Senate will see these as controversial matters. They will not stand against freedom of speech or helping needy Mexicans. But, if the past is any indication, they may very well stand against involvement of student government in matters beyond this campus. We hope that if they decide to take such a stand, they realize that in doing so they must, in these cases, refrain from standing for freedom of speech and also refrain from offering students the oppor tunity to help other human beings in need. Footnote With the student lobbying program go ing strong in Oregon and the physical fit ness program going strong in the Nation, one hardly has time to fully dedicate him self to these worthwhile causes without neglecting his studies. There is a solution, however. Why not hike the sixty or more miles to Salem and back up our lobbying effort? This would not only show our sup port for the President’s physical fitness program but it would also help back up our lobbying committee. Those legislators would know we really mean business if 5,000 or more student would go all that way just to watch the Oregon legislature in action. This idea has other advantages too. Such a hike would certainly indicate a need for President Kennedy's mental health bill besides graphically demonstrating the need for a medical care for the aged bill (notice that all of the hikers are young*. It would also eliminate the need for a Domestic Peace Corps. All the unemployed kids could hike around, supporting various president ial—even governmental—measures. Come to think of it, if we hiked to Washington, D C., we might be able to swing federal aid to education and really get something done. Letters to the Editor On House Mothers Emerald Editor: One line in the article, “Sigma Chi Fraternity—House Mothers Useless,” in the Feb. 14 Emerald intrigued me. This line is, “In addition, the house purchased tickets to all University func tions for her, took her to dinner every Friday night, and provid ed a place for her to stay during initiation week.” Could you enlighten me on why it was necessary to provide a place for her to stay during initiation week? I would assume that the behavior was such that the House Mother would either be embarrassed or would be in the way of the activities carried on. Am I right? J. 0. Lindstrom Business Manager U of O /V\AoCC>!KJ *\? \_ WERt A Bl& SHOT IKJ THE AC>MiNi9rRATl0tf, ft> RlC*." 7 ■^Jom ar The Fifth Stage In ‘Whitewash Hazing Plan With the release of the "Let ter of Clarification" (letter of ratioalization is a more discrip tive term), the campaign to “whitewash" the hazing contro versy has entered its fourth stage. The first stage, it will be recalled, was initiated by Dean Hawk’s rather inopportune re mark to The Oregonian that a "crusading editor" was respon sible for exaggerating the scope of the hazing. The second was carried out when ASUO Vice President Art Erickson request ed Ron Buel's resignation at the last Publications Board meeting. The third was executed when the Senate, under the skilled guid ance of William Vertrees, voted to ask for Mr Buel's resigna tion. The fifth, and probably the final stage will be moderate report from Student Affairs verifying what the fraternities usually say about themselves — that they are the most upright ly American (the best) of all American (good) institutions. At most, three houses will be closed. The others will be ex KaftH THIS CLASS, Abnormal Psychology 450, meets three times a week in Rm. 313 Allen Hall, and is taught by Fred Fosmire, associate professor of psychology. Seventy-one students are registered for the class although 313 Allen was designed for 48 people. Fosmire, when interviewed, said that an average of twelve to fifteen students have to sit behind him or out in the hall. msmak ■mmmmmmmMMmmmm/M:, mu, Les; than two hours after the Emerald called Emerald Hall to check on the number of students taking the class, Fosmire re ceived ? note indicating that his class could have the use of 133 Commonwealth beginning Monday, Feb. 25. The departmental secretary had earlier in the term spent two days trying (unsuccess fully) tc find Fosmire another classroom. Photo by Iligham empted on grounds that their socalled hazing wasn't really se vere enough to be considered hazing at all The “Letter of Clarification” absolutely drips with piety. We are supposed to believe, for ex ample, that it was The Emer ald's fault that IFC President O’Connell’s statement was mis understood According to The Emerald, he said (and to this date he has not denied the state ment): “It was agreed that the large majority of houses were guilty in various degrees of haz ing.” What other impression could the statement have given? A majority means, if my arith metic is correct, some figure over fifty per cent Adding the word “large” implies, even to the most unperceptive mind, well over fifty per cent. Dean DuShane, in a front page story in a recent Oregonian, verified .Mr. OX'onnell's statement — it was only two-thirds of the houses If that isn’t widespread, I don’t know what to call it. Apparently, then, the exclu sive objection of the “Letter of Clarification" centers- around the relative severity of the haz ing and the existence of perver sion The administrative direc tive prohibiting hazing does not specify that guilt depends in any way upon the degree of severity. If simply says that hazing, with in the accepted definition of that term, no matter what its de grees. is illegal. Perversity is another matter. Even if it did occur, no one, especially the participants, is going to admit it. To do so would be to admit a criminal act. To admit knowledge of per version would make one an ac cessory to a criminal act. What is most disappointing about the entire affair is its visciousness. In attempting to save face, the fraternity system has allowed certain of its mem bers to carry on a "scapegoat ing” campaign designed to de stroy the credibility of a news paper and the personal charac ter of its editor. And a budg (Continued on page 3) OKK<;<)\ DAILY KM KRAI.D The Oregon Dailv Kmc rale I is published seven limes in September anti five clays a week during the school year, except Mur ing examination ami vacation periods by the Student Publications Hoard of the University of Oregon. Entered as second class mater at the post office, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year; $2 per term. Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of The Emerald and do not pre tend to represent the opinions of the ASl"() or the University. RON HU EL, Editor MARTY KKTKLS, Business Manager
