Vol. 78, No. 109
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Thursday, March 10, 1977
Survey predicts turnabout in college plans
By KEVIN RASMUSSEN
Of the Emerald
Oregon’s high school seniors are choos
ing community colleges over state system
institutions for their college plans, accord
ing to the Oregon Educational Coordinat
ing Commission (OECC) preliminary data.
A survey by the Oregon State System of
Higher Education, Office of High School Re
lations, foreshadows a possible turning
away of interest in state system colleges.
Since 1973, there had be an a continual
upswing of the number of high school
seniors planning to attend a state system
institution. A gradual decline of interest in
community colleges had been associated
with this. This year, however, this trend ap
pears to be reversing itself.
Between 1974 and 1976, there was a 12
per cent increase in high school seniors
planning to attend public colleges and uni
versities. For the same period, there was a
five per cent dc-cline of interest in commun
ity colleges.
This year, the percentage of high school
seniors planning to attend community col
leges increased by nearly four per cent. At
the same time, the number of students
choosing state system institutions waned,
increasing only about one per cent.
John Westine, research director of the
OECC, stressed this is only preliminary
data. However, he also points out the in
formation from this survey historically has
proven itself to be 80 per cent accurate in
predicting the plans of graduating seniors.
Glenn Starlin, vice-provost for academic
planning and resources, says the Univer
sity won’t be “too concerned about it” be
cause these statistics only indicate a poten
tial decrease of incoming freshmen.
Last year, he says, enrollment estimates
predicted some increase in the number of
freshmen with a decline in the number of
students doing upper-division work. Con
trary to these projections, the number of
upper-division students was maintained
and even increased a little, while incoming
freshmen declined. Overall enrollment,
therefore, balanced out despite fewer
freshmen.
“There is some temporary concern about
change in enrollment patterns,” Starlin
says, as long as it is used as the basis for
state funding. He says it might be better if
funding were based on programs rather
than enrollment.
Starlin feels the survey results indicate
both community colleges and state institu
tions are fulfilling their purposes. Many stu
dents begin their post-secondary education
at local colleges, transferring later to state
system universities. “We work coopera
tively with the community colleges,” he
says.
Westline says the OECC uses the Post
High School Plans Survey to provide
“detailed analyses for school districts in the
state. One of our duties every year is to
make enrollment projections." He adds the
survey also aids in getting “a feel for new
trends" which may be developing.
(Continued on Page 8A)
Dead week, not finals week, carries the biggest brunt
of the term for architecture students. Students are
responsible for displaying their term-long projects at
8
Photo by Tom Wolfe
review sessions where their instructors as well as
local businessmen and professionals evaluate them.
Reviews end term
for AA students
By TOM WOL FE
Of the Emerald
Architecture students are brea
thing sighs of relief and tipping
toasts to one another this week as
they present their final term-long
projects for display and review.
Given such tasks as “Design
the best multiple-dwelling struc
ture possible for this piece of land
paying attention to legal,
economic and environmental
concerns," architecture students
are known for working long hours.
The student spends a minimum
of 12 hours per week in classroom
studios planning and then drafting
their ideas into actual blueprints,
drawings and 3-D representa
tions.
Several hundred architecture
students in 39 courses responded
to such challenges with com
pletely original designs they are
OSL seeks 50% funding increase
By KEVIN HACKETT
Of th Emerald
The Oregon Student Lobby (OSL) is
seeking to double its current operating
budget for 1977-78. It will ask each member
school to increase its contribution from 50
cents to $1 per full-time equivalent student
(FTE).
The OSL board of directors decided on
the budget request at its monthly meeting in
February. In other action, the OSL altered
the non-resident undergraduate tuition re
commendation for the state legislature.
OSL had previously supported Gov. Bob
Straub’s recommended four per cent in
crease in tuition for non-resident under
graduates during the 1977-79 biennium.
The OSL now will move for a freeze on
tuition for non-resident undergraduates.
The student lobby, which evolved during
the latter stages of the 1975 state legislative
session, has found itself underfunded for
carrying on an effective full-time lobbying
effort, according to OSL director Kirby Gar
rett. The OSL’s current budget is $25,000.
Garrett said that while the OSL isn't in
danger of financial collapse, the increased
funding is needed to facilitate long-range
goal planning for the organization. The OSL
established four broad-based goals to:
•Reduce barriers to public higher educa
tion.
•Provide information to the utility of long
term educational planning.
•Provide for the cost of academic quality.
•Facilitate inter-institutional communica
tion and representation of students.
Garrett said the OSL’s efforts aren t re
stricted exclusively to legislative lobbying.
The OSL hopes to hold an annual incidental
fee conference where all member schools
can examine their individual problems. The
OSL also wants to hold a delegate conven
tion of at-large members elected by each
school before future sessions at the Legis
lature. Delegates would then determine
OSL legislative action.
Garrett believes the budget increase is
c'early justified.
“We see it as an investment that each
student should make and would benefit
from,” he said.
"If our tuition package gets through, it
would save Oregon students $4.4 million. If
we get our requested financial aid increase,
this would result in a $6.3 million increase in
available aid.”
The OSL request must first receive an
executive recommendation from each
member school's student government, and
then pass its incidental fee committee.
The OSL amended its non-resident un
dergraduate tuition policy at the request of
ASUO Pres. Jan Oliver and Portland State
University student body president Craig
Nichols.
Mark Cogan, ASUO vice-president for
State Affairs, said the OSL will try to convince
the Legislature that the state gains a great
deal economically from non-residents at
tending school in this state.
Cogan said education is a “clean indus
try” and a non-resident tuition increase
would hurt the industry.
University law student John Minott is
preparing an economic impact statement
on the effects that tuition increases or de
creases will have on the state s economy.
The OSL will use the research in its tuition
lobbying efforts.
presenting this week in Lawrence
Hall.
Many of the classes found
clients who wanted plans for pos
sible use locally.
Hilda Young, a former Univer
sity housing director, bought a
house last year on a large piece of
property on West Broadway and
asked a design class to suggest
ways to efficiently use the land for
additional housing units.
The class first did a “feasibility
study” and found the land com
mercially zoned for a maximum of
nine living units. Checking city
codes, students investigated legal
restrictions for construction on the
site.
Young attended class several
times to discuss her own ideas
and priorities she would have in a
final structure.
Other classes designed plans
for a county jail, University dining
hall, downtown hotel, small store,
student housing and recreational
land use.
The students spend a minimum
of three afternoons a week work
ing on their projects and are ex
pected to spend an equal amount
of time out of class, according to
Brian Carter, a visiting architec
ture instructor.
The studio work isn’t a final
academic hurdle for architecture
students though. They are re
quired to take ten studio design
classes (50 credit hours), which
makes earning a bachelor’s de
gree in architecture a five-year
undertaking.
Presentation and review of
completed student projects is
generally done during dead week
and local businessmen and pro
fessionals often attend to discuss
and heip evaluate the students’
work.
Students bring snacks or wine;
coffee is served, and the three
hour session may become some
what social.
Presentations are important,
Carter says, because students
must be able to communicate their
intentions through pleasing
graphic work and verbal com
munication to the client.