Testimony heard on
age lowering bills
By NAN HENDERSON
Of the Emerald
SALEM (Special) — Though
the joint committee on alcohol
and drugs technically heard
testimony on two bills (SB 27 and
HB 3167) which lower the age of
majority to 18 Thursday night,
the question actually debated
was whether Oregon should lower
the drinking age to 18.
Opponents of lowering the
drinking age — a small minority
of those who testified — told the
committee that traffic fatalities
would increase if the age of legal
drinking dropped.
Proponents of the measures,
including several University
students, testified that:
— The current law is not
strictly enforced because it is
violated “by hundreds of
thousands.”
— Now, young persons wanting
to drink are forced to drive “out
in the bushes” because they
cannot legally drink at home or in
a nearby tavern.
— To prohibit 18-year olds from
drinking when they are otherwise
considered adults is
“discriminating against a certain
class in our society.”
— Carrying the idea that traffic
fatalities will increase with a
lower drinking age “to its logical
conclusion,” prohibition should
be reinstated.
— Young persons in Oregon are
already planning to travel to
Washington to drink when that
state’s lower drinking age goes
into effect.
— Statistics cited in a notorious
“Michigan Study’’ indicating
traffic fatalities did rise when
that state lowered its drinking
age are not consistent with
reports of other states that have
recently lowered the drinking
age.
Ethnic
studies
requirements
announced
The requirements for
graduating seniors wishing to
receive certificates in ethnic
studies were announced Thurs
day in the Ethnic studies com
mittee meeting.
The general requirements for
the certificate include thirty
hours credit work, nine lower
division and twenty-one upper
division including six hours of
field experience. Special courses
which would fulfill these
requirements may be chosen
from the following areas: an
thropology, 103, 301-3, 417-9, 426-8,
320, 322, 414; geography, 105, 407,
205, 303, 453, 463, 508, 507; CSPA,
221, 407; history, 221-3, 472, 3503,
464, 507, 476-7; english, 253-5, 310,
417,419,407; music, 407; romance
languages, 107-9, 432-4, 444-6;
political science, 346-7, 490-1, 463
4, 407, 485, 507; psychology, 407,
437, 438, 440; economics, 414-6,
457-9, 444, 445, 446; Cl, 340, 407,
341.
Interested students should
submit a transcript to Paul
Simonds, professor of An
thropology as soon as possible
and no later than April 27. The
ethnic studies committee will
then consider each request and
applicants should leave phone
numbers so that the committee
may contact them.
— And finally, a University
senior induced several minutes of
laughter during the hearing by
presenting tape recordings of his
attempts to buy alcohol in
Eugene markets which indicated
that currently identification is
inconsistently checked.
Senator Victor Atiyeh (R
Portland), a committee member,
told the committee during his
testimony that “just as sure as
we are sitting here we are
dooming some young persons to
death by lowering the drinking
age in Oregon.”
Atiyeh cited the “Michigan
Study” conducted by the
Michigan State Police which
states that after Michigan
lowered its drinking age in 1972
“the percentage of 18-20 year old
drivers who had been drinking
and who were killed shot up 54
percent.”
Atiyeh also reported that the
study indicates that “the 18-19-20
year olds who used to get their
liquor from their friends who
were 21 and older are now buying
for their friends who are 15, 16
and 17.”
Atiyeh said that though he
drank before he was 21, “as
probably most of the people in
this room did,” there is a dif
ference “between making alcohol
readily available and in sneaking
it.”
Tim Grush, Oregon State
University legislative co
ordinator, told the committee
that in corresponding with some
of the 28 states which have a
lower drinking age he learned in
some prosecution of minors in
possession of alcohol and minors
driving under the influence of
alcohol has “significantly
decreased.”
And he cited another study
conducted at the University of
Michigan which indicated that
though 18-21 year olds comprise
eight percent of persons that
drive in Michigan, they comprise
only 7.2 percent of those persons
convicted of driving under the
influence of alcohol.
John Beattey, a Multnomah
County Circuit Court Judge,
testified that the present law
“makes criminals the act of
hundreds of thousands of people”
who drink illegally. He added
that police enforce the law
(Continued on Page 15)
Role of women’s
athletics investigated
The University Intercollegiate Athletics Committee is looking for
student input in its investigation of the role of women’s athletics at the
University.
At Wednesday’s meeting of the student-faculty committee,
chairer Robert Bowlin requested that interested students submit
written opinions on the subject of women’s intercollegiate athletics to
be considered by the committee.
The written student opinions must be submitted before April 20,
Bowlin said. At that time, the committee will begin evaluation of all
the data it has gathered on the subject of women’s athletic com
petition, he added.
The committee’s investigation began January 8 when student
committee member Jane Aiken presented a proposal asking the
committee to recommend the formation of a co-educational athletic
department at the University.
During the past three months the committee has surveyed other
colleges and athletic conferences, sought legal advice and surveyed
University faculty in relation to the co-ed athletic department concept.
Next week the committee will interview EMU Director Dick
Reynolds on the subject of funding women’s sports and represen
tatives of the Women’s Recreation Association on the current state of
women’s sports at the University, Bowlin said.
Bowlin said he hopes the committee will have “all this put
together by the end of April.” He predicts that the first draft of the
report will be ready during the first week of May, with the final report
to be presented to University President Clark by the end of May.
Students wishing to submit written opinions to the committee may
take them to Bowlin’s office, 258 Emerald Hall.
BSU elections set
The Black Student Union will be holding elections for the $:
positions of president, vice-president, head secretary and ad- g
ministrative coordinator today. |
Gregory Gudger and Karl Stafford will be vying for the $:
position of president. In a campaign letter, Gudger stated, if
elected, he would “make the Black Student Union tne politically $:
viable organization it is meant to be.”
Stafford stated that, “my work in the BSU since this time
will prove my competency.” He went on to clarify himself as the •$
“People’s Choice.”
Both candidates have served as vice-president for the BSU g
this past scholastic year. Gudger held the position up until the g
end of fall term when personal matters forced him to resign :$
from the position. Once out of office, Stafford stepped in to fill %
the vacant spot. $:
Hilda Bennett, Yvonne Orr and Paula Brown will be running ||
for the positions of vice-president, head secretary and ad- :$
ministrative coordinator respectively.
Students interested in voting for these candidates are asked g
to vote between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. in 313 EMU where the voting g
will lake place. •$
177 La
7:30
$1.00
or Season
Ticket I"
The Filins of Bunuel
Presents a heavy Friday
the 13th program:
Louis Bunuel & Salvador Dali’s
UN CHIEN ANDALOU
France, 1929
and Luis Bunuel’s
AND WITHOUT BREADl
Spain, 1932
Friday April 13th
Sponsored by Bunuel Film Class 407
Presented by
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Sunday Film by Cultural Forum
Joseph E Levme presents a Mike Nichols Film starr rg jack N cnciscn • Canpice Bergen >
“ Carnal Knowledge’ is brilliant.
A feast of a film!”
—Judith Crist, N. Y. Magazine
“ Carnal Knowledge’ is one
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—Liz Smith, Cosmopolitan Magazine
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Mike Nichols, Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen,
Arthur Gartunkel AnnWargrei and Jules Feiffer.
_ Carnal Knowledge.
» An Avco Embassy Picture
91.00
April 15
3, 6, & 9 pm
180 PLC