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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1976)
Crisis Center asks awareness Recognizing the serious possi bility of suicide and detecting its danger signals are the most effec tive means of preventing such a death, said Steve Schweitzer, head of the University's Crisis Center. That Awareness is being stressed nationwide this week during National Suicide Preven tion Week. No specific events are planned in Eugene for the week, however, since the county has no full-time suicide prevention agency. In fact, Schweitzer says he thinks the Crisis Center "is probably the best-equipped agency in Eugene to prevent suicide." He'd like to see a full-time agency funded in Lane County, but since the Crisis Center is funded by the ASUO, he tries to keep the service and the publicity for the program limited to campus. The Crisis Center is a hotline service, operating seven nights a week, year-round. Schweitzer said that about 15 per cent of the calls made to the Center are con nected with suicide, and "five per cent are hard-core suicide threats." He said that even more of the callers have suicidal tendencies, so he and the two other doctoral counseling students who staff the hotline are learning to pinpoint the tell-tale signs. "A loss of some kind, usually of a loved one, often precipitates suicide," said Schweitzer. He added that the center's coun selors especially watch for people who have cut ties with friends and associates or who have given away many of their possessions. "We ask them leading ques tions. The more detailed their plans for suicide are, the more serious the threat tends to be," he said. Some of the callers who have suicidal tendencies are afraid or embarrassed to indicate their true feelings, Schweitzer said. "They’ve been convinced by friends or family that they’re not supposed to think that way, that the feeling of wanting to commit suidde is an awful thing." He said the tendency of family and friends to shy away from talk ing about suicide with a possible victim can often frustrate that per son, which makes him or her want to commit suicide. "We let them ventilate their feelings, and that often helps.” The Crisis Center has no way to guage its effectiveness in prevent ing suicide, but Schweitzer said he believes statistics show the center may be effective on cam pus. He said that while suicide is the seconding leading cause of death among college students, the University has one of the low est rates in the country. He said he believes this is especially signific ant since Oregon has one of the highest suicide rates in the coun try. Schweitzer said the center av erages about two calls total Der night, but that “We don’t judge our success by the number of calls. Unfortunately, the ASUO does ” Schweitzer said he encourages anyone who is depressed, or who has seriously been thinking about suicide, to call the Crisis Center any night at 686-4488. He also urged anyone who fears that a friend may be contemplating suicide to call the center or seek other professional help HEW asks for public input WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) estimated Monday that the new law protect ing the civil rights of 25 million handicapped Amencans may cost the nation's schools and colleges $2.4 billion a year. All but about $300 million of that outlay will be recovered, however, in the form of improved benefits to the handicapped through equal employment and access to ser vices, according to an economic impact analysis. Because of the high cost and what the administration called the lack of direction from Congress, HEW is again asking the public for comments and suggestions on how to write regulations putting the law into effect. HEW Secretary David Mathews said one of the questions he must answer is whether a homosexual. drug addict or alcoholic is entitled to the same civil rights protection as a person confined to a wheel chair. Another question, posed in the notice published in the Federal Register, is whether a medical school should be required to waive surgery course re quirements for a blind student who plans to become a psychia trist. OSPIRG opens consumer center After paying for an infenor pro duct or receiving shoddy treat ment from a business, most peo ple accept their consumer impo tence with seething resignation. The Consumer Education and Advocacy Center (CEAC), which opened Monday, was organized and funded by Oregon Student Public Interior Group (OSPIRG) to combat consumer impotence. CEAC will accept consumer com plaints, otter advice and relay in tormation on consumer problems to the appropriate local, state, federal or private agency. Coordinators Craig Quinn and David Tobin hope CEAC will tunc Primary test hovers By The Associated Press Pres. Ford and Ronald Reagan stayed home Monday, while Democrats Jimmy Carter and Morris Udall went to Ford's home state of Michigan. Everyone seemed to have one eye on Michigan and the other on Ford's other home, the White House. Michigan is holding Republican and Democratic presidential primaries today, and the GOP vote in his home state is consi dered a crucial test for Ford, who has lost five of the last six primaries to challenger Reagan. Frontrunner Carter is chal lenged in Michigan by Udall and in Maryland by California Gov. Ed mund Brown Jr., but he said neither is crucial in his getting the Democratic nomination. He is “absolutely” certain of a first ballot nomination, Carter said. “A defeat for Brown would be a serious blow...it could not be so serious to me," Carter said of his D0U3 V far COUNTY COMMISSIONER J Paid-Meievtn lor Commissioner, Jeff Lake. Treat.. 777 High, Eugene. OR 97401 race against Brown, who is facing his first primary test. Carter left Maryland for Michigan Monday, while Brown continued stumping in Maryland The most recent Maryland polls indicate a close election, with a Baltimore Sun poll published Monday showing Carter leading 31 per cent to 28 per cent. But the polls show 25 to 30 per cent un committed, with the rest scattered among other candidates. In Michigan later, Carter said: "One good thing about my cam paign has been that I can accom modate a loss every now and then without having it deal a major blow to me. I don’t have to win every primary." tion as a representative of con sumer interests before busines ses and the state legislature. Open from 4 to 6 p.m., CEAC offers its services free. To register a complaint, call 686-4075 or stop by the OSPIRG office in Suite 3 EMU. Quinn explains that CEAC will accept nearly any type of con sumer complaint and give advice on where to go and who to talk to in the various consumer protec tion agencies. CEAC will also for ward copies of complaints to the other party in order to get both sides of the story. If some kind of agreement is not reached on the complaint, CEAC will inform the consumer of other courses of action, including small claims court procedures. One reason CEAC was founded was to make existing consumer legislation easier to im plement. Because of political priorities and pressures, the coor dinators say, consumer protection agencies are often inaccessible to individuals. According to Quinn, CEAC is currently well-staffed by student volunteers but will probably need more workers for summer hours. s\ Board against SB-1 Lane County commissioners went on record last Wednesday as opposing the passage of the Criminal Justice Codification, Reform and Revision Act (SB-1 and HR-3907), saying these bills "threaten the constitutional rights of the people...and cannot be effectively amended.” According to the resolution these bills would be a “grave danger" to the First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of the press. The resolution also decried strong anti-labor sections in the bills and sections limiting the right to peaceful assembly. The resolution was quickly approved by Commissioners Frank Elliott and Nancy Hayward. Chairer Bob Wood was not present at the meeting but he has stated that he fully supports the resolution and has a long record of opposition to SB-1. When reached at his office, Wood elaborated on his opinion of the bill. “It is repressive subjugation of our freedom of press and our right to peaceful assembly. Further, it provides for an imbalance of police power.” An aide for Frank Elliott stated that Elliott supports revi sion of the criminal code, but not as set forth in Senate Bill One. She said he believes a document of that length and complexity cannot be successfully amended. The county commissioners’ resolution follows a similar resolution passed by the Cottage Grove City Council in April. V y Ken Farmer’s Service Celebrates It’s Fourth Year As Eugene’s leading independent Volvo service sta tion with this special: Our Spring-summer safety check of your car, which checks compression, brakes, charging-starting-exhaust and cooling systems, tires and much more. For the Volvo owner the check is only $1.00, other Imports $4.00. American Cars slightly higher. This offer is good through May, PLEASE call for an appointment. Remember, if you own a VOLVO or other import that has a problem or just needs routine service we are on the corner of E. 11th and Mill, (the Arco Sta tion). From advice to a major engine overhaul, we can do it. ken farmer's service 407 E. 11th Ave. 343-4225
