Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1976)
State grants money to aid observatory Improved year-round scientific research and observation will soon be possible at the University's Pine Mountain Ob servatory because of new state support authorized Friday by the Oregon Legislative Emergency Board. The board, acting on a request made by Sen. Fred Heard (D-Klamath Falls), authorized $150,500 for upgrading the University’s Pine Mountain facil ity. The funding will allow the Uni versity to acquire, house and in strument a new 16-inch precision telescope, provide more depend able winter access to the site by providing a four-wheel drive truck and truck-mounted snow blower unit, add needed electronic in strumentation to the observatory 's 24-inch telescope and replace its retiring astronomer earlier than expected. "I think the board's action is a demonstration of the legislature's concern for research and the research-type experience we pro vide our students," said John Baldwin, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, who helped Sen. Heard, Chancellor Roy Lieuallen Are the Pressures of School Making You Go to Pieces? Why not try ESCAPE? Earn credit, gain valuable experience. Come to the ESCAPE Workshop, Jan. 14, 7 p.m., EMU Ballroom. stop by our EMU lobby table 686-4351 327 EMU and University Pres. William Boyd present the proposal to an Emergency Board sub-committee Thursday. "Through it the citizens of Oregon have shown their interest in astronomy and their interest in the University's full mission, which includes research, both for the science it accomplishes and for the training that is possible for our students only in a research con text," said Baldwin. "The new telescope will greatly increase the capacity of the ob servatory in getting observational data. It will be the first telescope in the state provided by state money," he continued. The Pine Mountain Observat ory was erected in 1967 by Univer sity physics professors E. G. Eb bighausen and Russell Donnelly to obtain data for research and to provide research experience in astronomy for University stu dents. Since its founding, the obser vatory has received more than $500,000 in federal support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Na tional Oceanographic and Atmos pheric Administration. The fund ing has helped support research leading to several major dis covenes, including scientists dis covery of black holes in space. In recent years, however, the observatory has been unable to successfully compete for federal funds. While NSF gives funds for re search on the basis of national competition for good proposals," officials explained in presenting Wo—4*—»■ i 4 the request to the Emergency Board, “the judging of proposals inevitably includes an assess ment of the local contribution to the program and the seriousness of the committment of the Univer sity to good research. State sup port is absolutely essential to back up scientific proposals. Since this support has not been truly evident to reviewers, the NSF support for Pine Mountain has dwindled to near zero, creating a crisis situa tion of a magnitude which was not appreciated even two years ago. News media in Central Oregon reported on the crisis and last summer began identifying needed improvements. University professors Eb bighausen and Donnelly, James Kemp, Marvin Girardeau, Ira Nolt, and James Radostitz gathered and analyzed information. Work ing with Baldwin, they specified the need for year-round access, equipment improvements and re placement personnel. Professor Ebbighausen, who serves as the facility's as tronomer, is expected to retire in 1977. The University has already commissioned a search for his successor. The availability of state support permits the University to employ its new astronomer before 1977. The earlier employment will allow the new scientist to begin re search and grant application work during the 1976 cummer observing season. They’ve (almost) got away WASHINGTON (AP)—The Supreme Court was asked Mon day to save one of the rarest fish in the world—the Devil s Hole pupfish—from extinction. A Justice Department attorney, A. Raymond Randolph, told the court that the pupfish is threatened by the pumping of water from the Nevada pool in which it lives. At last count, he said, there were only 294 pupfish left. "That is the smallest population of any known species of fish," said Ran dolph. The fish, less than one inch long, lives only in Devil's Hole in Death Valley. Until the pumping started in 1968, the usual summer popula tion was about 700, Randolph said. The court heard arguments on the appeal of Francis Cappaert, a land-owner from Vicksburg, Miss., from a lower court order restricting his right to pump water from wells near the pool The argument revolves around a 1952 order by Pres Harry S Truman establishing the pool as a national monument under a 1906 act for the preservation of Ameri can antiquities i. ? Student Program management Seminar —Cl 407. 2-7 hours pass/no pass i \ (2 hrs. for seminar. 1-5 hrs. for field practicum) , Thurs. 4:00-6:00 p.m. TLn—6750 1 « Students can register at ESCAPE table in EMU lobby or ESCAPE office, 327-EMU Instructors: J. Coffey, J. Davis, and L. King. The primary purpose of this class is to educate and train students in general management of campus programs and organizations. The class takes a unique "grassroots” approach to such areas as budgeting, personnel, office management, volunteer recruitment, training, leadership, fund-raising, publicity and available re sources. The class allows members to share resources and experi ences from the perspective of people involved in student programs. Requirements include seminar participation, selected class read ings, and a term project. Students can contract to earn 1-5 prac ticum credits for program involvement while attending the semi nar. Instructor’s permission needed. All students in campus prog rams are strongly encouraged to sign up. torn while working in ijour campus program or adivilq Ihis Urml > f
