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