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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1977)
ASUO candidate's forum ror Bartel I feel obliged to respond to statements in Monday's En dorsement editorial concerning my campaign for ASUO Presi dent. The Emerald, in its finite wisdom, could not discern any basic differences between my goals and philosophies for the ASUO and my opposition, when in fact there are differences which would convince a reasonable per son to support my bid for the Pres idency. While Gary Feldman and I generally concur on academic is sues as they apply to the ASUO, I feel that the President of the ASUO is more than an advocate of the student s academic in terests. The President is an advo cate of all of the student's interests and, as such, is obligated to iso late relevant issues from the Uni versity, community, and society at large and advocate the student's opinion. We must come to the forefront in demanding a responsible ap proach to the problems fo the en vironment and the insiduous en croachment upon our civil liberties by power hungry corporate elitists. Now, naturally we aren't going to be the divine solution to these problems, but by using re sponsible policies here we will generate an example for moral liv ing. This can be done by establish ing environmentally responsible actions in our daily lives, by using recyclable and recycled paper in the ASUO, by holding the line on energy consumption in the EMU, and by fighting the investment in corporations which have a gross disregard for the environment and our fellow human beings I firmly believe that if you’re not part of the solution, you re part of the prob lem. We must be conscious of the problems and of the alternatives and solutions which abound Further, we must strengthen our ties with the community. By dose contact with the community, we can generate the experience and support necessary to make our education at this University a useful one to ourselves and to the society to wnicn we Delong. In closing, I'd like to say that I don't believe this can be achieved through agression, but rather through a steadfast persistence. Through responsible leadership and a groundswell of student sup port we can address the issues and achieve our goals. The reins of leadership are ultimately ours and we must prepare ourselves now to take them over. Paul Bartel Candidate — ASUO President For Ohlendorf Having been involved in the ASUO for several years, I have seen worthless class officers come and go. Fortunately, this year's junior class was not let down. Randy Ohlendorf and the Junior Class Council have or ganized a really superb Parent's Weekend It s too bad the voting is before Parent's Weekend, but you will not be disappointed. By virtue of his outstanding job this year Randy deserves to be elected Senior Class President. But Randy will not be content to rest on his laurels as others would do. Already he is planning what can be done to make the Senior class well represented where decisions are made that will affect us. Randy wants the senior class and all classes to get the representation they deserve. Good class officers are few and far between By electing Randy Ohlendorf Senior Class President we will be keeping one of the good ones hard at work. Vote Ohlendorf for Senior Class President. Stephen Beard EMUB Chairer For Fleming As it stands, there is not any strong voice representing sepa rate classes in ASUO policies and administration As your Junior Class President, I would like to form a unity of the junior class and possibly set a precedent to form this voice in the ASUO. Are class offices worthwhile? I think they are; especially if each group con tributes to the whole and more student voice is liberated into these decisions of student gov ernment. University relations are an im portant part of class officers' responsibilities and I think that I have the capabilities of leading our class through many of the trad itional activities that are required Parent's Weekend, the way the University brings back student's parents to the University to see where their money is going, shows them the educational and recreational aspects of our Uni versity. Organization and coordi nation here for the event is very important. Parent's Weekend and other projects for our class don't come cheap Fundraising is also impor tant. This year this has been up and coming, but more ideas are needed Working on the Junior Class Council under Randy Ohlendorf this year, I have been given the opportunity for much of the needed insight to head many of the programs our class will in itiate. As your Junior Class Presi dent I'll be able to lead my class with the organizational and in novative means to make our class stand out in its glory for 1977-78 On April 28, vote for somebody who cares. Russ Fleming for junior Class President Russ Fleming Junior — Management For Dickey We are convinced that Bill Dic key is the best choice for the Inci dental Fee Committee Bill would be responsive to the entire student body His decisions would be thoroughly researched, and his decisions would be inde pendent in every respect. Bill is concerned about the ris ing cost of collge educations What he realizes is that inflation is a national problem, and it's going to effect the campus just as it af fects every other person in the country He Knows we can t stop it. however we can set examples and experiment with policies to help stop it. It seems lately candidates lor office find it unfashionable to speak out on the issues Instead of being an advocate for the prin ciples they believe in. candidates seem to be pledging the minimum, "stopping budget increases" or keeping a close eye on the purse strings." Bill won't just aye the purse strings, he'll investigate them For example: a thorough EMU budget justification, explaining amounts requested He'll scrutinize the Ath letic Department, keeping in mind Title 9 and proportional funding for seating in Autzen Stadium Voting is the only way for stu dents to insure they're rep resented fairly. Make a basic evaluation of the candidates: you'll discover his student pro gram involvement, his knowledge of the ASUO and IFC. and most importantly his concerned at titudes, the reason he should be voted for Vote Bill Dickey for IFC Patricia Costa Senior — Art Education George Wooding Junior — Business Steve Starenski U of O Varsity Wrestling Team For Bassett Why am I running for election to the Incidental Fee Committee in a special election to fill a vacancy9 With the 1977-78 budget almost completed it is critical that the va cancy be filled by a candidate who has a sound understanding of the budgeting process I have at tended IFC meetings over the last two years and have been familiarizing myself with the goals and budget requests for the 50-plus ASUO programs. I have gained important information about the workings fo the budget system that would enable me to actively participate in the remain der of this year's spring budgeting process, including supplementary uuuyei requests uuu uuier irq. duties I am also tired ot paying higher and higher tuition each year. Each student pays $28.50 per term tor incidental tees This is a lot ot money — 12 per cent ot each person s in-state tuition I (eel that it's time to stop the annual in crease in student fees With the problems ot decreasing enroll ment and continuing price infla tion, it's going to be difficult to keep fees from continually climb ing and at the same time maintain program quality at the high level we expect Through efficient budget critena, research, and stu dent input, we tan best accom plish these ends I hope that voters will select a candidate who has a sound un derstanding of the budgeting pro cess and wants to keep fees down and program quality high Scott Bassett IFC Candidate \o oil no. one Some people are slow learners Last fall the ASUO tried to elimi nate class officers, a motion that was severely defeated and showed that the ASUO was out of touch with student interests, a problem that followed them throughout the year Now the same proposal is on the spring ballot I don't need to argue in favor of class officers, since stu dents already support the idea. but I do wonder why the ASUO is wasting our time again Vote no on constitutional amendment number one Maybe the ASUO will learn this time Stephen Beard Senior - Sociology Editor s note The Emerald can accept no more endorsement let ters tor ASUO candidates Be cause everyone wanted their let ters to run the day before the elec tion, many would not lit in today s issue The endorsement letters remaining in our tiles will be printed Wednesday ---opinion-— Unionize for improved benefits, conditions un weanesaay and I nursday of this week Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs) are being asked to vote on one of the most important issues affecting them as students and employes of this University. We feel that a number of important questions must be addressed in order to acheive a fair vote. The Question of Unions: Unions represent the ex tension of democracy into economic and academic plan ning. Our union can be an organized, collective expres sion of our needs and interests as working people Unions in general and our union in particular resemble nothing like the hierarchal structures the administration would have us believe they are The principle that a union must be built and main tained with the highest possible degree of democratic decision-making has characterized the GTFF from its inception 18 months age This is why the by-laws of our union are written to preserve democracy in decision making. This commitment also underscores our decision to affiliate with the American Federation of Teachers, one of the most democratic unions in America. The Benefits of Unionization: A number of important gains can be made for GTFs through unionization. These include better wages, an adequate health insurance plan, and child care for GTFF parents. Also included is a griev ance procedure which ultimately provides for third-party arbitration and which is not subject to final veto by the President of the University. Another major benefit resulting from unionization is in the area of working conditions. Realizing the broad and complex nature of this concern, the GTFF has not ad dressed itself to every possible issue. Major concerns, however, which have been raised by GTFs include: 1. Heavy and unequal work loads. In some areas of the Univesity, such as the social sciences and humanities, class size can exceed 200 and section size can be as large as 50. The GTFF considers it important to negotiate for possible class size reduction to relieve op pressive burdens on GTFs and to imporve the educa tional atmosphere of the University One provision from the GTF contract at Wisconsin illustrates what is possible: Within any department, the average section size in sections taught by TAs shall be no greater than 19. The maximum number of students in any such section shall be 24. " 2. Irregular appointment, discrimination Since the GTFF formed we have had numerous complaints about "old boy networks," discrimination, and unstated criteria for appointments Also, many more GTFs are fired than is commonly known and the grounds for such actions and for appeals are vaguely stated, if at all The GTFF considers it important for GTFs to partici pate on department committees which decide their work ing conditions and to have published criteria for appoint ments and evaluation of work We have also proposed a comprehensive grievance procedure to cover arbitrary dismissals. (See GTFF Fact Sheet no. 4; Emerald opinion column, April 21, 1977). 3 Facilities and library privileges. In some areas, such as Physical Education, GTFs are unreasonably crowded into office spaces. Many GTFs do not have access to phones or equipment such as typewriters, and some do not even have offices All Masters degree stu dents have inadequate library privileges. These are im portant needs and the GTF contracts at Wisconsin and Michigan indicate that they can be achieved. 4 Educational planning. In many sectors of the Uni versity GTFs have little or no participation on hiring, cur riculum, and admissions committees, although GTFs are responsible for much of the undergraduate teaching re sponsibility of the University. The GTFF thinks it important lor us to participate in cooperation with the faculty to determine policies for perhaps the most important func tion of the University — teaching Again, there is prece dence at Wisconsin; there is no reason why is cannot be achieved here Affects on the Faculty and Students The GTFF feels that unionization can achieve positive benefits for other segments of the University We feel that a union contract can enhance the flexible working conditions with faculty members by curbing the kinds of arbitrary decisions which breed resentment and mistrust among faculty and GTFs Implicit in many of our demands is a concern also for undergraduate education at the University and how we as GTFs can work to improve the educational quality at the University We have raised issues of class size, edu cational planning, and wages as important contnbuting factors to this process It should not be forgotten, for example, that increased wage levels and fringe benefits for GTFs are important mechanisms to attract high quality graduate students to Oregon and thereby enhance the University's educational value We can meet these concerns most effectively as an organized force, one which can speak to an administra tion whose commitment to the diversity and quality of education at our campus is increasingly questionable In shod, we can begin to address the lack of democracy in decision-making, the impodance of improving the mater ial conditions we face as GTFs and the questions of enhancing education at the University of Oregon only through collective bargaining. We urge you to vote for the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF) on April 27 and 28 ' r Bill Ratteree Jerry Lembcke Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF)
