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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1972)
Frei holds firm; sentiment grows By JIM HUNTER and NEAL ROSEN Of the Emerald In the aftermath of Jerry Frei’s resignation as Oregon’s head football coach, rumors persist his decision was affected not only by the media as Frei presented in his statement, but by alumni pressure. In his prepared resignation statement of Wednesday, Frei said he “reached the conclusion that in the existing atmosphere of rumor and innuendos as printed in the newspapers, it would be impossible for me to effectively carry on in the manner which I felt necessary to make continuing progress with our program.” Thursday Frei reinterated his stand, saying, “I’d like basically to sit on my statement of Wed nesday.” The veteran of 17 years in the Oregon coaching program, five as head coach, expanded upon his prior statement, saying, “It would be very difficult to go to the high schools to recruit with them knowing that maybe the axe was there and them thinking there might be a change in a year.” Frei was emphatic in his denial that alumni pressure brought to bear on Athletic Director Norval Ritchey had any influence on his decision. “No, no, you can be assured my decision wasn’t in fluenced.” Frei explained what was specifically meant by his statement “rumors and in nuendos as printed in the newspapers” with “that includes anything printed on the basis of a rumor story without my having a say or being asked what my plans air. He did elaborate, though, on which newspapers he was referring to in his resignation statement. Asked whether a Neil Cawood-Bud Withers article in the Jan. 1, 1972 issue of the Eugene Register-Guard and an article in last week’s Oregon Journal by George Pasero were the stories in question he replied “take a look at my comment of Wednesday and apply it to those two stories.” After effects of Frei’s resignation have taken the form of two “campaigns”—one is being waged by ASUO President Iain More. Thursday night More presented to the ASUO Senate a petition expressing support for Frei. The motion passed on a voice vote. The other “Cam paign” is for the coaching position left vacant by Frei. More, who in a statement Wednesday attacked Ritchey for succumbing to alumni pressure, is heading a University-wide petition drive. Repeating his stand of Wed nesday. More said, “I hope this petition will force the Athletic Department to consider student views on its operation. I think the students want some people in there who stand by their prin ciples and will not buckle to outside pressure " The petition reads: “We, the below signed students of the University of Oregon, wish to express our support of Jerry Frei, UO Football Coach. Frei has been a victim of pressure from alumni and the press who demand that an athletic program produce winning teams. We deplore a system of in tercollegiate athletics that places more importance on the dollar and a winning team than the individuals involved. It is un fortunate that an athletic program is susceptible to the kind of pressure which has evidently made it necessary for Jerry Frei to resign. The Oregon athletic program will be poorer for his departure.” More said Ritchey could have been a “preventative agent” in Frei’s resignation. I think he (Ritchey) could have done quite a bit to stop the kind of talk that resulted in Frei quitting. I thought he handled this, just as he had handled other personnel matters—very poorly.” Along with the personnel condemnation, More accused Ritchey of not being completely honest in his handling of Frei’s resignation. He said this lack of honesty has previously appeared. “I thought in such situations as the ASUO-Autzen Stadium concessions hassle and the Belko Harter transition, Ritchey was definitely not telling the truth.” More said he has asked Gerald Bogen, Vice-President for Student Affairs, to contact Rit chey about getting students on the committee that will select a new coach. ‘‘Hopefully, the students will help in the choosing of a coach who adheres to the same principles as Frei’s.” The principles More referred to were contained in his Wednesday statement. It, in part, said “In an unideal situation Jerry Frei ran as ideal a program as possiDie with the broad interests of the participants preeminent in his mind and actions.” More said that he has “heard through the grapevine” Ritchey is “willing” to elicit student opinion in the selection process of a new coach. More added, “However, he has made no effort to contact me.” The conjecture over a new coach took an additional point of interest with the inclusion of assistant coach Dick Enright’s candidacy for the job in the same Athletic Department release that carried Frei’s resignation statement. Enright, 37 and Oregon of fensive line coach for the past two years, allayed speculation that his declaration was op portunistic. “Jerry told me the night before (Tuesday night) he was handing in his resignation and would make the announcement the following day. In that con versation he said ‘You ought to be a candidate.' So that’s where it began. He said i think you have the support of a lot of people.’ ” Frei said Thursday "I don’t think it was opportunistic. I do not look at it badly at all. He’s a very fine coach. If he has an opportunity, go ” Jennifer Trim mell of Bullfrog magaiine testify before the Drug Subcommittee of the Legislative Interim Com mittee on Alcohol and Drugs (above). The meeting, held last night in the EMU, was conducted by Dr. Morris Crothers (right) and heard testimony from various people involved with trying to solve the drug problem in Oregon. Points made during the meeting included such things as readjusting priorities, where coping with drug problems would be taken out of the hands of the police and taken over by such organizations as White Bird and Looking Glass clinics. Recommendations to the Committee included more state funds for such clinics and an emphasis on educating the public in the problems of drug abuse. HPUP deadline For all departments on cam pus, except for those contained within the College of Liberal Arts, today is the deadline for turning in to the administration answers to University President Robert Clark's “20 questions.” Departments are required to answer 20 questions concerning program priorities as part of Clark's University-wide program priority review. The College of Liberal Arts has an extended deadline next Wednesday. Vice President for Academic Affairs Harry Alpert said the only scheduled meeting of the Hearing Panel on University Priorities (HPUP) is set for 1:30 p m next Wednesday in the Johnson Hall Conference Room Discussion at the meeting will concern the University’s doctoral programs. OSPIRG refund deadline Today is the last day for students to pick up OSPIRG (Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group) refunds The one dollar refund checks are available at the EMU Main Desk from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Students need to show their pink student body cards to get the refund. Add/drop deadline Today is the last day to add or drop classes. Any drops after today will be recorded on the student’s transcript as a W. Add-drop forms may be picked up at the registrar’s office.
