OREGON DAILY EMERALD
Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of the Emerald and do not necessarily
represent the opinions of the ASUO or the University. Opinions expressed in signed columns
are those of the writer. >
CHUCK BEGGS, Editor
LOUIE ABRAMSON
Business Manager
MAXINE ELLIOTT
News Editor
BOB CARL
Managing Editor
PHIL SEMAS
Associate Editor
WILBUR BISHOP, JR.
Advertising Manager
ALLEN BAILEY
Associate Editor
Page 10
University of Oregon, Eugene, Friday, January 21, 1966
Tuition Tax Credits Needed
A proposal for a federal tax credit pro
gram for college tuition payments has come
up in the last two sessions of Congress, only
to suffer eventual defeat. But it now looks
as though the long-needed plan may pass
this year, due to the pledged support of
Rep. Gerald Ford (R-Mich.), House minority
leader, earlier this week in a GOP reply to
the President’s State of the Union message.
The tax credit proposal, drawn up by Sen.
Abraham Ribicoff (D-Conn), would allow
anyone who supports a college student to
subtract from his income tax a percentage
of the first $1,500 spent on tuition, fees,
books, and supplies at institutions of higher
education. The taxpayer would be allowed
to deduct 75 per cent of the first $200, 25
per cent of the next $300, and 10 per cent of
the next $1,000.
What Ribicoff’s bill will do, primarily, is
ease the financial burden on middle-income
families who send children to college. These
families are often caught in a bind—they
are not wealthy enough to meet the high
costs of college, but they are not poor
enough to qualify their youngsters for
scholarship aid. And it has been estimated
that costs of sending one child through four
years of college will climb as high as
$19,000 by 1983—about the time when
today’s college students will be sending
their children off to school.
Ribicoff's amendment to the administra
tion’s tax-cut bill failed 48-45 in 1964, due
to election year pressure from Johnson
forces. Again defeated last year, the bill
has suffered from only lukewarm support
by such groups as the American Council on
Education, and from strong opposition by
the AFL-CIO.
Labor leaders have opposed the plan,
saying that it will force tuition up, especial
ly at public universities. But, as Ribicoff
pointed out, tuition will likely go up any
way if past experience is a guide. Besides,
any credit offered for high tuitions (more
than $500) is not likely to speed up increas
es because of the graduated percentage
scale.
Other benefits for the parent supporting
a college student have been found neces
sary in the past in order to keep college
costs from becoming prohibitive. With the
pressure being applied to today’s youth to
complete college, bills such as Sen. Ribi
coff’s will be needed if we are avoid educa
tional discrimination because of income.
Library School Needed
The faculty last Wednesday approved the
proposed School of Librarianship “in prin
ciple.” It is important that the State Board
of Higher Education follow suit quickly so
that the new school can be established, at
least on a skeletal basis, by next fall term.
The needs are apparent. In Oregon alone
at least 500 additional school librarians are
needed within the next two years. Of the
696 people now-working in public school
libraries throughout the state, 100 have had
no library training at all. Since the July
1965 change in certification requirements
for school librarians, approximately 325
people now employed as librarians through
out the state must receive additional train
ing before they are able to meet the new
requirements.
This trend is reflected throughout the
entire country. Although approximately
3,000 librarians are added to the labor force
each year, President Johnson, in his educa
tion message to Congress in January 1965
said, “At least 100,000 more professional
librarians are needed in public libraries,
schools and colleges.”
The University now offers about 15 hours
of library studies in the School of Educa
tion, to meet high school librarian require
merits. But the University does not offer a
librarianship degree. Students who want to
study library science must ge out of the
state to one of the four universities on the
West Coast which offer this program, usual
ly the University of Washington or the Uni
versity of California.
At the moment, library courses are taught
by two full-time instructors. The rest of the
staff teaches part-time and are also working
in the University Library. In order to estab
lish the school, only two more full-time in
structors must be added to the faculty and
ten courses added to the present curricu
lum. In order to ask for an accreditation
visit, the school must be in operation at
least one academic year.
There will be no trouble finding students
to fill the new school. Last summer, the Uni
versity ran an NDEA institute in library
science, 1090 applications were received to
fill the approximately 300 positions. The
courses offered by the University have a
high reputation both inside and outside the
state.
The need is urgent; the cost slight; the
plans already begun. We urge the State
Board to approve the faculty’s recommen
dation.
Letters to the Editor
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All letters to the editor must
be typewritten and double
spaced. Letters not over 300
words in length and those deal
ing with one subject will be giv
en preference for publication.
All letters must be signed in
ink and must give the class and
major of the writer. Letters
not meeting these criteria will
be returned to the letter writer.
The Emerald reserves the right
to edit letters for style, gram
mar, punctuation, and potential
ly libelous content.
Half Truths
Emerald Editor:
I would like to make a com
parison between the Emerald’s
article on the ASUO Senate
hearing on Viet Nam (Jan. 17),
and daily national news reports
on American soldiers killed or
wounded on Viet Nam.
The Emerald’s report on the
Senate hearing allotted about
500 words to the Young Ameri
can for Freedom platform and
only 88 words to the Faculty -
Student Committee to Stop the
War in Viet Nam. This is mis
representation. Eighty - eight
words to describe a three-page
2,200-word statement by Mary
Hamilton (student co-chairman,
Faculty - Student Committee),
does not come near “representa
tive news.” Also, these 88 words
do not attempt even to summar
ize Miss Hamilton’s statement.
In the daily press we read
of only the numbers of Commu
nists killed, captured or wound
ed, but we are kept in almost
total ignorance to the number
of American soldiers killed,
wounded or captured in Viet
Nam. This is another example
of half news, half truths.
Many people have an idea
about who controls the nation
al press releases on Viet Nam.
But who or what is controlling
the news at the University
through the Oregon Daily Emer
ald?
I.ouis M. Sinnigcr
Junior, Anthropology
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Students Denied Right
To Attend Carnival
Editor’s Note: At its meeting a week ago the ASUO Senate
voted not to endorse University participation in Portland State
College's Winter Carnival. In the column, the main proponent
of the bill to participate, Senator at large Skip Clemens, analyzes
the defeat.
The University will not be allowed to participate in the Winter
Carnival held in Bend this year Although we were invited to enter,
the ASUO Senate decided to defeat the bill asking for the necessary
$80 to finance our participating in it again this year. So I would
hope to take the matter to the students that we arc representing.
First of all, the Winter Carnival, sponsored by Portland State
College annually, with the exception of last year, in order that it
might be reorganized to facilitate better control of outsiders who
were crashing it, is a skiing and winter event opened to the invited
colleges throughout the Northwest.
Included in this three day weekend are two and one half days of
skiing at Bend, competitive alpine races, talent shows, big name
bands, spaghetti feeds, and dances. The competitive skiing is one of
the highlights of the weekend, but by no means the only thing
going on at Bend. There will be a number of opportunities for
students from the over 20 colleges in the Northwest to get together.
STUDENT FAVORITE
What with the number of dances and shows this has always been
a favorite with University students. In 1964, when it was last held,
somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 600 students from the Uni
versity participated.
It shares a lot of the excitement of the Rose Bowl in that it offers
the competitiveness and inter-school rivalries arc continued in sup
porting their respective schools.
But just like the Rose Bowl, there is a social element as well and
the Winter Carnival committee, in order to provide things for the
students anticipated, has scheduled a number of recreational activi
ties as well in order that planned activities may be provided.
As it would appear, Tore Steen, our ski coach, in order to enhance
the reputation of our ski team, and because he did not feel that
the competitive nature of the intercollegiate meet was up to stand
ards, withdrew the University ski team from the event.
STEEN’S PREROGATIVE
This, I feel, was on his own prerogative, and he, as our ski coach,
should be able to decide on this kind of matter. But when he went
further and asked the Senate not to allow those students on this
campus who would have wanted to, to go to the Winter Carnival,
then I feel that he has overstepped his bounds.
And in order that the ski team may stand to gain a lot of pub
licity, particularly for their meet which they have set for the end
of this month, the students will be penalized.
Marv Faust, the general director of the Winter Carnival, a stu
dent at Portland State College, told the Senate at least Thursday’s
meeting that if they chose not to support the bill asking for $80
for Winter Carnival they would have no means of selling tickets
on this campus. Their revenue is based entirely on these ticket
sales and tickets will be sold on the over 20 colleges only in order
to limit participation in the Carnival.
LODGING LIMITED
Unlike years past, lodging at this year’s Carnival will be available
only to those students who have already purchased the Winter
Carnival ticket.
As a further precautionary measure, all but a very few of the
motels and hotels in Bend have signed contracts agreeing to let out
rooms only to those holding the ticket, with the further stipulation
that all sleeping bags are to be confiscated.
The Winter Carnival committee is under still further pressure
from the Portland State administration which have made it very
clear that if Winter Carnival gets out of hand or proves too hard
to handle, then this will be their last year. So the controls are there
and will be used to prevent things from getting out of hand.
Undoubtably, the biggest problem in the past has been that of
high school infiltration, which campus ticket sales and student
identification will curb.
The new precautionary measures, the stringent controls of lodg
ing, a careful count of tickets, advertising limited only to the
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