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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1973)
Commentary On behalf of the Senate Submitted by a iff Zakin It is always easier to focus on the bad rather than the good. Much has been said in the last few weeks about the ASUO Senate’s in-fighting and avoidance of work. Now that it is again election time I’m sure that it will be very fashionable for those riming to attack the Semite. So, before this starts, I would like to give a second side to the “debate”. Of the in-fighting, I would rather see a body of differing views with everyone willing to make their views known than a homogenious body not capable of providing diversity or conflict. Some have maintained in letters to the Emerald that the conflict is a sign of ill-health. I maintain that when conflict ceases is when ill-health begins. On the second point of the Senate’s avoidance of work there is a com munication problem. Granted not much goes on at Senate meetings except for problems becoming manifest. But the fact is that nine-tenths of the Senate’s work is done outside of the formal meetings of the Senate. Examples of this are numerous. Our Governing committee has reviewed over 125 people for student-faculty com mittees. Our Community Affairs com mittee recently hosted the Eugene City Council and the City Manager’s staff on campus. This was the first time the ASUO had ever sat down with the city of Eugene. The meeting resulted in an establishment of communication channels with the City Council, City Manager, and various city officials, such as the Police Department and budget office. Our Public Relations committee has sent (Nit letters to service organizations all through the state and will be sending speakers from the ASUO to those organizations interested. Our Fiscal committee is now in the process of reviewing all ASUO agencies in preparation for the upcoming budget hearings. Our Higher Education com mittee has issued a forty-plus page report on promotion and tenure within the social sciences (copies are available for study in 311 EMU). The committee is also in the process of introducing legislation dealing with degree requirements, health and PE requirements, and group requirement credit for 400-410 courses. There is work being done by the Senate. As long as people find it easier to criticise than to make suggestions for improvement, I’m sure that the attacks will continue. But there is another side to the Senate. If you want to find out more about what the Senate has done, is doing, and plans to do; here are the people to get in contact with: Jim Davis, Ch. Public Relations, 687-0586 Bob Reno, Ch. Higher Education, 343-8729 Fred Wasson, Ch. Community Affairs, 686 6626 Peggy O’Farrell, Ch. Fiscal, 342-8419 Gordon King, Ch. Governing, 686-6653 Cliff Zukin, Senate Pres., 686-3728 Letters For Shuts I would like to express my strong sup port for Randy M. Shilts for the liberal arts-humanities seat in the student Senate. This election offers the university a chance to get a true leader for a Senator. The most important trait I see in Mr. ShUts is his courage. He is the only person ever to run for a student government position openly as a homosexual. The exposure he will receive from this will, undoubtedly, have many more liabilities than assets for him. There are few, if any, ASUO leaders who have shown this type of courage. As a Senator Randy will stand up against any odds to defend what he thinks is right. Randy Shilts will be no Senate mousekateer. The things he’s running for he takes very seriously. He has the intelligence (Honors English Program and Honors College) and stamina to get them done. Randy is very committed to women’s rights. He was the only man to ac company the Women’s Studies Steering Committee in their conference with President Clark. Day-care funding ami the proposed women’s study center are programs Randy will work for. As a gay Senator Randy will, of course, work hard to bring gay issues into discussion. Homosexuals represent no small part of the campus population, though (in keeping with the cultural trend) they have yet to have a voice in student government. Randy’s leadership in Gay People’s Alliance and the ASUO Senate will be beneficial for both the straight and gay communities. For the straight university, community, his leadership will work to dispel the myths and stigmas surrounding the homosexual. The gay people who have yet to start dealing with their sexuality on an open basis (Randy’s primary concern in this campaign) will have an example and a visible, student leader. Randy Shilts will provide strong, humanistic representation for all students. He will be a leader. I urge other humanities students to give Randy a vote. of support in this week’s primary and for his election in next week’s general vote. Pamela Evans Philosophy From McNaughton My Dear Fellow Ducks: After having read Mr. Loveys’ letter in the ASUO voters’ guide and wondering for awhile if a similar letter bought him his ticket for a ride, my general reaction was “Ho-hum,business as usual in the ASUO sandbox.” I wish to make my stand perfectly clear; my stand is that I shall not take a stand on any issue until such a time as I am duly elected. We have presented the Apathy In ternational Fruitcake Party as a viable alternative to student politics now existing on the University of Oregon cmapus. Our party has been accused of having a somewhat “foggy” platform. In our reply we resort to a Midwestern truism, “Winter’s fog will freeze the hair off a dog.” So if you wish to remain apathetic and still be able to be a student activist, vote for the APATHY INTERNATIONAL FRUITCAKE PARTY! ” I am not running for the constituency interested in the “toy” squabbles of the ASUO, on the contrary I running for those who have been harassed by the student activists bandying about such phrases as this one, “If you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!” Vote for me, and we will show the activists that bang part of the solution is part of the problem! APATHY INTERNATIONAL FRUITCAKE PARTY dedicated to the belief that the ASUO should “Do nothing, Say nothing, and Be nothing!” Vote for G.T. McNaughton for ASUO Senate! G.T. McNaughton Social Science Candidate Political Science—Senior For Bonner I support Michael Bonner for ASUO Senate in Social Science because he will work for issues that are important to the welfare of the students. The&j issues are: — minority and women’s rights — increased allocations to ASUO Childcare — alternative education programs such as SEARCH and Canterbury Center — Reformed ASUO services — Reduced ASUO bureaucracy — Devreased incidental fees Michael Bonner’s purposes and motivations have often been misrepresented on these pages. He is sincere and concerned, and deserves to be re-elected. Bernice Haason Sophomore Sociology For Wasson It is sometimes difficult for people who are affluent enough to spend a third of their lives in abstract studies to appreciate the needs and interests of the less for tunate or dissimilary inclined multitude. Off-campus students will this term be presented with the opportunity to elect an ASUO representative who has the welfare of the community as a whole foremost in his mind: Greg Wasson. To support Greg is not to be needlessly democratic. Off-campus students know that the maxim “as ye sow, so shall ye reap” is no empty platitude. University support for community projects such as child-day-care centers widen the spectrum of experience for all; energy flows in all directions. Funds for these projects could be drawn from athletics', an activity whose high cost is matched only by its low priority in most students minds. I urge you to take the time and remember to vote for Greg Wasson for off campus senator. Help restore a measure of sanity, perspective and awareness to student government. Jack Wilson From Wasson ASUO Senate: Those ten letters have, in most students minds, have now become equated with incompetent and i inept inaction. I hope that you will give me a chance to try my method of helping restore some credibility to the Senate, (hi all levels political actions have become justifiable by statements like “Thats the game of politics". In my opinion this is just an excuse for acting less than human. All that it takes for a group of people to work together is for people to forget about future political races and concentrate on what should be foremost in all their minds: allocating student money in the places where it will benefit the most people per dollar. Students are a rich class and we should use this financial advantage to help as many people as we can, by helping com munity services that benefit students such as child care and White Bird. The money to do this could crane from the Athletic alottment that any longer benefits only a select few at the expense of the many. I hope I have communicated some of my personality traits and personal goals and that if you find that these traits and goals coincide with yours, you will take the time to vote for me. Greg Watsan For McMaughtoo Who is this G.T. McNaughton who has the audacity to run for a Senate seat as a member of the American International Fruitcake Party and who thinks apathy is .where it is at in University politics which makes just about as much sense, gram matically or otherwise as this ridiculously illogical, seemingly endless run-on sen tence. Whew! Okay, I know this “Hoosier”, Mc Naughton hails from Fremont, Indiana, and the farm boy seems to have modeled his behavior after that of his favorite lazy and apathetic pig, dear Freddy. But enough of that — we needn’t get into the gory details. But when he runs on a campaign slogan of “Do nothing, say nothing, be nothing’’, I think nothing of his political potency. Basically, I just want to emphasize what a mistake you would be making were you to elect this lackadaisical lout to office. ‘twould be better to stone him (he rarely gets stoned) than elect him. My final thoughts on his candidacy? Well, it’s ah — pathetic. Thomas O. Mascott Jr., Journalism Pre. of AAAA (Another Ass Against Apathy) From Ivins Winter terms elections will cost ap proximately $1500, yet less than 7 per cent of the students will vote. The present ASUO is an undesired drain on the financial resources of the other 93 par cent. And it isn’t due to apathy; it’s due to disgust, disenchantment, and a desire to be no part of something so odious. Most students find University politics childish if not totally absurd and will never vote. Should they be forced to continue financing an elaborate playground for 50 odd individuals, most fugitives from Romper Room? Winning means finding friends. Most seats will be won with less than 1 per cent of the electorate. The bill for this half baked, vastly unpopular, popularity contest is paid for by the students. The ASUO in its present state, must be abolished. I am not opposed to student government. Rather, I propose freeing the ASUO of the administration’s overlord ship. Until the ASUO is autonomous, in full control of its funds, it can never instill enthusiasm in the majority of the sutdents. Free the ASUO or abolish it, because the students don’t want it as it is. Un fortunately, the ASUO will never gain its freedom while it continues to fall prey to pseudo-politicians. Oniy a fool would trust the incompetents now in the Senate with sole authority over incidental fees. The Senate must be purged. Until the ASUO is independent, all issues are phoney, especially the bickering over the spending of incidental fees. Regar dless of senate decisions, President Chirk decides. Accordingly I can only pledge to wrok for for freedom and reform. Gordon D. Ivina Candidate for ASUO Senate
