The Partial Student
As budgets are developed for the State
System of Higher Education, the yardstick
used to determine the size of many budget
items is the projected enrollment of the
institution in question. At the University,
a full time student is considered one taking
a minimum of 15 credit hours. Some meas
uring device is necessary to judge enroll
ment. Unfortunately, this 15 hour mini
mum is becoming more and more unrealis
tic. A new system is needed to determine
full-time student status.
This year there is a discrepancy of sever
al hundred students between the head
count of individuals enrolled for classes
and those qualifying as FTE (full time
equivalent) students. On the basis of this
difference, and similar discrepancies in past
years, the projected enrollment figures for
the University in the coming biennium have
been revised downward, lowering the Uni
versity’s total budget proportionately. Be
cause the University will have fewer stu
dents taking 15 or more hours than was
initially estimated, some portions of the
budget will not be adjusted to meet the
original requirements set forth by the State
Board of Higher Education. In some cases,
the revised budget figures will not be ade
quate to meet the actual student demands
upon them. There are several reasons for
this.
The 15 hour FTE figure was estab
lished at the University because it is the
average number of hours a student must
take each term to graduate in four years.
In reality, however, there are many stu
dents who deviate from this average.
As the University’s law and other gradu
ate programs grow, the all-campus average
class load will continue to drop. Fourteen
hours is considered a maximum program
for law students and many graduates in
other fields take even fewer hours. At the
same time, these students are making the
same use of buildings, library and other
facilities as students taking 15 or more
hours. Also, some students will take heavy
loads for their first two or three years at
the University, anticipating heavier class
requirements during their last year. These
students will then drop below 15 hours for
their final three terms, removing them from
the accounting system as full time students.
The greatest danger the 15 hour arbi
trary FTE classification poses is with the
faculty. The faculty-student ratio and the
resulting allowance for faculty salaries is
determined on a basis of the full time stu
dents enrolled in the institution. Frequently
the graduate student with 10 or 20 hours
will actually monopolize a great deal more
of a faculty member’s time than a junior
carrying 18 hours.
Although the University is “penalized”
for each student attending less than 15
hours of classes a term by not being able
to count him as a whole student, no addi
tional funds are granted for any student
carrying a heavier than average load.
Each student taking eight or more hours
of class work is paying the full tuition rate.
In doing so. he has a right to expect to take
the same classes, use the same library and
to get the same consideration from faculty
members that the student with 15 hours re
ceives. The accounting system, on the other
hand, considers him worth only part of
these benefits.
Many arguments can be advanced for
using the FTE as it is now. Many students
taking less than 15 hours actually do use
less faculty time and demand less of li
brary, classroom and laboratory facilities.
The opposite, however, is frequently true.
As the average class load continues to drop
as it has in recent years the reasons for this
drop should be studied with an eye to ad
justing the FTE to bring it more closely
in line with student academic demands at
the University.
Letters to the Editor.
How Many?
To the Editors of
Oiegea Dally Emerald;
Eugene Register-Guard
Tim Oregonian
Gentlemen:
It appears that your lack of
supervision over your reports
made by your reporters is con
tributing to the adverse repu
tation the American Press is
making for itself due to inaccur
acies.
The recent reading of the
poem “Howl” by a group of
University of Oregon Faculty
was apparently sue han impor
tant event that front page head
lines were required and cover
age was provided by your best
reporters. The Oregon Daily
Emerald reported that “more
than 500“ students were pre
sent. The Eugene Register
Guard reported on Thursday
that “more than 1000” were
present; Friday “about 1000”
and Saturday in an editorial
just a round figure of “1000.”
The Oregonian reported “more
than 2000.”
Don’t you all agree there
is quite a percentage spread
between 500 and 2000? It ap
pears that your reporters are
enjoying some poetic license.
Or, What Newspaper Can One
Believe These Days?
Yours very truly,
Lee H. Vernon
Editors Note:
For what it is worth, an old
time crowd estimater, Athletic
Director Leo Harris said The
Emerald’s estimate probably
came closest to the actual figure.
* * *
“We Watched”
Emerald Editor:
It was not a matter of free
dom but a matter of taste, we
said. And we charged them
with indecency, irresponsibility,
puerility. We laughed and cov
ered them with shame.
We were above censorship, we _
said. We did not take away their
jobs. We only took away their
respectability, their honor and
called them names.
It was not a matter of aca
demic freedom, we said. Aca
demic freedom belongs in the
classroom. And this was not
even a matter of a larger free
dom, we said, but a matter of
taste.
So, with good taste, we aban
doned our friends, and joined
in their slaughter.
Who can say we were wrong?
What is more important than
the matter of taste? Etiquette
and good manners before all
else!
Forget Hiroshima and Molech
and death camps and friend
stabbings. The way to heaven
is paved for forgettings. For
get that you once loved those
you have left behind in wretch
edness.
We, the prigs, have that
right! If there must be natural
ists, let them photograph God’s
world. But when it comes to
Ginsberg’s world, Man’s world,
we can only allow Surrealism
through Euphemism. Otherwise
we might not be able to for
get. And we have that right. . . .
LETTER POLICY
All letters to the editor must
be signed and must include the
student’s major and year in
school. Letters from persons
other than students must in
clude the writer’s address. Un
der ordinary conditions, no an
onymous letters will be publish
ed. Letters will be run as room
is available.
Letters under 300 words in
length will be given priority for
publication. If letters are sign
ed by more than five persons
only the first five names will be
printed. The remaining signa
tures will be on file in the Em
erald office.
Meanwhile, a holy Brutus
does our dirty work for us,
calling them cowards because
he cannot understand the faith
they had. Faith that their presi
dent and their fellows would be
strong again, faith that free
dom would not be allowed to die
in a committee. Faith that died.
When he wipes the blood from
his eyes, he will see that he has
crippled his only allies for free
dom. He will see that they would
have stood up before, had they
known. And we will offer him a
euphemism to help him forget.
W. J. Holly,
Jr. in Philosophy.
* * *
Social Commentary
Emerald Editor:
In the past few weeks we
have seen student and faculty
groups speak and demonstrate
before us in the name of such
causes as free speech, civil
rights and world peace.
If the letters published in
this column are an accurate in
dication, one is forced to con
clude that these people are not
wanted, unnecessary, a source
of shame to the University, im
mature and even comic. . . .
the voice of reaction has sound
ed its shrill, maternal cry.
Although it might be argued
that reaction is better than no
action at all, it must be point
ed out, perhaps tragically, that
the boat is already rocking, and
our sideline social critics shall
be forced to wear yet tighter
smiles. Perhaps they are the last
voices of another era, the voices
that remained smugly silent in
the year following President
Flemming’s dedication of the
free speech platform, or even
the death cry of the apathetic
crowd which educates itself by
remote control.
Harry Noller,
Research Fellow,
Institute of Molecular
Biology.
oi*4t bu<-«,
*?M«- f tp
“In The Words Of That Great Anti-Imperialist
Chinese, Rudyard Kip Ling: ‘Hast Is East . . ”
Letters to the Editor
Marching Band
Emerald Editor:
In reply to Bob Reid concern
ing the stage band at the basket
ball games While it is true that
the Cal Straw Hat Band is three
times the size of our stage band,
and thus we play a generally dif
ferent type music than they, this
does not mean that our band is
poorly rehearsed, spiritless, or
that we work against the stu
dents and rally squad
Our music is selected with the
Rally Squad's counsel and ap
proval, and they attend rehear
sal with us to work out details
of presentation at games We
have arranged music in order
to integrate the cheering sec
tions with the band on some
yells and chants.
We have marches, Dixieland,
swing, Rock n’ Roll, and pop
tunes. We play the Oregon fight
song every time the team en
ters or leaves the floor We al
ways play a certain R & R
number because one of the play
ers remarked that it helped him
‘get going’ while he warmed up
Every number that we play or
don’t play is agreed on at the
time with the Rally Squad. Con
sidering these facts, I don't
think it is true that we do not
do what the Rally .Squad wishes
us to, or that we are outside
of student control.
In this season, we have played
nine games on campus, one at
OSU and three at the Far West
Classic (beginning the day aft
er Christmas). So far, the peo
ple that we work with (athletic
department, rally squad, radio
and TV) have been pleased with
our efforts. The 15 students in
the band work hard for no class
credit or monetary compensa
tion.
In return they get demands,
rushed meals, sore lips, irate
wives, and jibes from a few
certain students. In case some
students are contemplating let
ters similar to Mr. Reid’s, it
would do more good and be fair
er to these band members if
you would bring constructive,
informed suggestions to the
band department. Mr. Reid can
come, too. With his transistor.
low. Kammerer,
Grad. Ass't. Music.
* * #
Defends Reading
Emerald Editor:
As to whether the reading of
the poem "Howl” by Allen Gins
berg produced much favorable
sentiment, I have yet to hear.
However, I question the adverse
reactions of some members of
our student body.
I believe that the “demonstra
tion” given on the Free Speech
platform was given for the exact
purpose stated: “. . . because
we believe that the rights of a
university’s faculty and students
to be free intellectual, artistic,
and political activity, which
ought to be presumed, must,
when they are brought into
doubt, be reasserted."
These men that stood before
you, and assured us of our
rights to academic freedom,
were in my opinion, fully aware
of their actions, and sincerely
devoted to what they thought
right for this school.
One should consider that they
realized full well their position,
and their influence It seems lu
dicrous that ‘‘undergraduates"
are able so easily to criticize
those men who are far more ex
perienced, and far more devel
oped intellectually than the stu
dents would like to admit.
And, too, those of you who
are of the opinion that four let
ter words need not be used
on our campus platform should
consider the fact that the au
thors vocabulary, and many
like Ginsberg, is not as limit
ed as many of us. and that there
are times when the sincere wri
ter uses such words to express
what he truly feels. To con
detnn them would indicate the
lack of understanding: in that
case, why not just ignore them?
My own reaction to the read
ing was that of pride for those
professors whom I respect, and
certainly still do, for expressing
what they believed knowing
quite well that they would be
accused of "pomp and cere
mony,” "petty games," and “for
the sheer sake of seeing if they
can stir up some trouble.” The
potential for appreciating the
reading is, I think, within us
all. I am sorry that some of us
have failed to grasp its real im
portance. In that case, I shall
ignore the ignorance, but never
forget the stupidity.
Exit, the noble savage.
Lynne Berry,
Junior, English.
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
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Opinions expressed on the editorial
page are those of the Emerald and do
not represent the opinions of the ASUO
or the University.
Cathy Neville, Editor
J. Craig Mathiesen. Business Manager
Chuck Heggs, Managing Editor
Kenneth R. Kappel, Advertising Manager
Stephen Green, News Editor
Dave Jordan, Associate Editor
¥bil Sernas, Sports Editor
Phyllis Hiving and Rich Habow,
Associate News Editors
Irma Dawn Moar,
Associate Managing Editor
Bob Carl, Assistant Managing Editor
Steve Ditnco, Entertainment Editor
Bob Deuniston, Walt Biddle,
Co-Photo Editors
Mary Stamp, Feature Editor
Editorial Board: Pam Bladine, Clifford
Kaufman, Pat Holt, Stephen Green,
Steve Goldschmidt, Chuck Heggs, Dave
Jordan, Phil Sernas, Karen Winn, Bob
Carl, Mike Gannon.