Two
women
to
lead
ASUO
lobby
effort
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Of (lit* Kinerald
"We expect to act more as legislative educators
than as lobbyists ourselves," says Robin Derringer,
recently appointed legislativeco-eoordinator for the
ASDO
"We would like to project the image of an office
that takes in interested people and works with
them," explains Lyndia Wilt, who serves as the
other co coordinator
Wilt and Derringer have spent the summer
gathering background information on issues and
legislators to help represent University students in
the State Legislature this year
Beginning fall term, they plan to take over a
wider range of work, as well as continuing their
extensive research New responsibilities will in
clude preparing testimony, public relations work,
trying to improve the image of the University, and
establishing educational work sessions or mini
courses in lobbying.
“The Legislature is not sympathetic to the
student body,’’ says Derringer, “principally
because students have not learned to be effective as
lobbyists in a broad-based way.”
What priorities does the ASUO have for the two
co-coordinators and other interested lobbyists this
year?
“Probably the first thing is the question of in
cidental fees,” says Bill Wyatt, ASUO president,
speaking of Oregon Revised Statute 351.070.
Scheduled to go into effect July 1, 1973, the statute
states that the State Board of Higher Education
<SBHE) has the power to “prescribe fees . . and
incidental expenses deemed necessary to carry out
the educational program authorized by the board.”
Wyatt is concerned that ASUO agencies such as
legal services, the Housing Office, and the Graduate
Student Council will not be deemed “necessary to
carry out the educational program” by the board.
He also objects to an addition to the statute en
titled the “Newbry Amendment.” The amendment
authorizes SBHE to collect fees for “student ac
tivities not included in the educational program,”
but adds, “The payment of such fees shall be at the
option and selection of the student and shall not be a
prerequisite of enrollment.”
Wyatt feels that voluntary student funding of
ASUO agencies is unlikely. “If it (the Newbry
Amendment) withstands, the ASUO will probably
be pretty much non-existant,” he says.
Other areas he hopes ASUO lobbyists will be
involved in include University funding, tenant
landlord legislation, 18-year-old drinking laws,
welfare rights and scholarships.
The lobbyists themselves hope to develop more
ties with the community. “Student needs aren’t
needs affecting only students,” Derringer says. “So
many times issues important to students also cover
a broader scale but there is no communication with
others.”
Both co-coordinators emphasize the need for
practical political experience such as lobbying
among concerned citizens. “The fact you’re
working in the political system is enough to give a
broad background in politics," Wilt says.
The position of legislative coordinator was
originally intended for one director and one
secretary, but Wilt and Derringer applied to share
the duties and salaries equally.
"We took the job to test a job sharing principle we
both happen to believe in,” says Derringer. “We
didn’t care about the salary and we’re good at
keeping each other informed.”
Wilt and Derringer have had extensive lobbying
experience. Both have testified before the Senate
Finance Committee in Washington D C. on social
reform bill HIM Wilt is president of I,ane County
ADC (Aid for Dependent Children) Association, of
which Derringer is also a member.
The legislative co coordinators’ office is located
on the third floor of the EMU along with all other
ASUO offices
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Miller
Photo by Phil Waldstein
Drug center offers
free analysis service
By CAMERON STAUTH
Of the Emerald
A new ASUO service will answer any question about any kind of
drug.
The Drug Information Center, created last spring, has struggled
against meager funding and hassling from the community to become
one of the most vital ASUO programs now sponsored.
One of the most worthwhile of the drug center’s functions is the
drug analysis service, which will tell you, for free, exactly what is in
the drug that you give them to analyze.
‘‘About 70 per cent of the drugs that are analyzed through this
center turn out to be impure,” said Mark Miller, center director.
"Most of the time people do not get what they paid for. Most street
drugs are w atered down with other substances .many of them harmful
For example. Miller said, “acid is often sold as psylocibin, and
many hallucinogens contain amphetamines.”
In addition to the analysis service, the drug center also has an
extensive library open to the public, is sponsoring a psychoactive drug
course in the fall term, provides speakers to community meetings
puts out pamphlets, does research and answers a great many phoneJ
calls from people with questions about drugs.
“We've answered about 600 calls this spring and summer that
involved fairly simple questions,” said Miller, “and were able to
respond after five or ten minutes of research. And we’ve received
about 125 calls that required extensive research.”
The class that the drug center will be sponsoring this fall is open to
any student and is fully accredited. The class will feature “a great
many of the west coast’s foremost drug experts,” Miller said, who will
speak formally and informally at the regular Thursday, 7:30 to 9:30
class, in 130 Commonwealth There are no prerequisites and no limit to
number of students for the Health 409 course.
Miller said his biggest problem so far has been getting money to
pay for the center. “Right now we’re operating on funds from a
government agency,” he said, “but that will run out by the time school
starts. Then we need to get more money from the ASUO Senate.”
This summer in a controversial action the senate cut about half
the funds to the drug analysis service, after previously allocating
them. Miller said at the time he felt his program was “singled out for
personal reasons.” He said the program is one of the better run and
most important of all the ASUO programs.
Miller was angry at the fund cutback and said the senate’s action
was “n ickey mouse.” he is applying for a $35,000 National Institute of
Health grant, hoping to be able to dissaffiliate with the ASUO.
Miller plans to ask the Senate for about $5000 to cover the center’s
expenses for the 1972 school year. Last spring they were granted about
$1300
Among the center’s many expenses is the money they must pay
PharmChem. the Palo Alto, Calif ., laboratory that analyzes drugs for
them
In order fee a consumer to have a drug analyzed he must:
•Call the Drug Information Center at 686-5411 who will ask what
the person thinks the drug is Then the consumer will be given a code
number
• Then the consumer will mail a sample of his drug to Palo Alto.
• The Palo Alto lab will tell the drug center what the drug was.
The drug center publishes this information in the local media, along
w ith the code number, so that the consumer will know w hat his drug is
by looking in the newspaper for his code number
About half of the drug center’s activity is centered around illegal
drugs and the rest has to do with pharmaceuticals. Often. Miller said,
ckx'tors will prescribe drugs to patients without telling the patient the
specific effects .>t the drug