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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1978)
Vol. 79, No. 166 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Thursday, June 1, 1978 Officials giving movie ‘bad reviews’ University upset at Animal House; identity of campus revealed By KEVIN HARDEN Of the Emerald An advertisement for National Lampoon’s “Animal House" may have the University in a bind. Or at least a bit confused. Muriel Jackson, head of University Relations, says an advertise ment in the latest issue of National Lampoon magazine for the newly published paperback “Animal House” novel may have violated the University’s contract with Universal Studios by mentioning where the movie was made. Or maybe not. The advertisement, Jackson says, could not violate the contract with Universal Studios because it was in a magazine the studio had no control over. The contract, signed last October before the studios could begin to film on campus, stipulated that the location of the filming could not be made public by the studio. The “Animal House" writers, Chris Miller, Doug Kinney and Harold Ramis, however, are all employed by National Lampoon magazine, which retained control over the script. What the magazine does with the script is its business, Jackson says. There may be no way to keep the magazine from printing the ad and telling where the movie was filmed, she says. “Our contract was with Universal Studios and not with the National Lampoon,” Jackson says. “At the time we wrote the contract we thought we were just dealing with the studio. We didn’t know this would come up." Jackson, W.N. McLaughlin and Ray Hawk, all of the University, negotiated the contract with the studio last September after the Univer sity was contacted about using the campus as a background for the movie. After nearly two weeks of meetings with studio officials, a contract was signed. That contract, Jackson says, stipulated that the studio not tell where the movie was filmed. While the advertisement in National Lampoon magazine men tioned the name of the University, the school may have no legal re course, Jackson says. “Our intent in allowing the campus to be used for the movie was just to make ourselves more available and to give the students a chance to participate in the filming process,” Jackson says. “This (the ad) is after the fact,” she says. “We chased down such problems eight years ago (after the filming of Jack Nicholson’s “Drive, He Said ”) and we’ve found that they’re really not very fruitful." The University won't take any action against National Lampoon, Jackson says, because the school may not have a choice about the advertisement. "I’m afraid we re stuck under the terms of the contract we signed with Universal Studios," she says. Because of what may have been a “dull fall,” Jackson says the local news media covered the filming more than was expected, which may have done more to reveal the movie’s location than an advertise ment. Promotional photographs were also released to the magazine as part of the contract, Jackson says. Most of them may be used by the writers for the novel’s illustrations. But, she says, the University’s image probably won’t be dulled because of the advertisement. “I trust that we are sufficiently regarded academically so we haven't sustained any damage because of it," she says. The New Frontier for the University may be the courts. Emerald photo Babb scrambles for Food-Op survival funds By RICHARD WIENS Of the Emerald The University Food-Op, Inc., is in danger of extinction but will use “every a vailable avenue" to survive, according to Food-Op co-director Mike Babb. The Food-Op's entire $10,875 operatin budget for next year was vetoed by Gar> Feldman, former ASUO president on his last day in office. May 19. In a veto hearing May 22, the Incidental Fee Committee (IFC) failed to override the veto by one vote. “If we receive nofunding, we will not be in existence next year," says Babb. “Our store is in a state building, and we can’t keep our space if we’re receiving no ASUO funds.” Since 1975, the Food-Op has oper ated a general store on Agate Street specializing in produce, bulk grains and dairy products — ‘‘areas in which we know we can save people money,” Babb says. Students and area residents can special-order any type of food through the store. Babb says Food-Op prices represent an eight percent mark-up over wholesale prices, while most supermarkets have at least 20 percent mark-ups. Group living or ganizations, mainly fraternities and sororities, get even cheaper prices by or dering large quantities of food through the Food-Op. Several ways of regaining IFC funds exist, says Babb. One is to ask the IFC to again attempt to override Feldman’s veto at a future veto hearing. Such reconsideration would require the approval of new ASUO Pres. Ramon Herrara, however, and he has incicated he is unwilling to second-guess Feldman’s budget vetoes. Another possibility is to appeal Feldman's veto to University Pres. William Boyd. But Boyd would probably act only if ASUO procedural guidelines were violated, and that apparently is not the case. The Food-Op’s best chance for survival appears to be the IFC’s unallocated re serve. IFC Chairer Doug Benson says the Food-Op could probably get some money from the reserve, but not anywhere near the $10,875 originally budgeted them. Even a token dollar would mean we d be able to use the state building,” says Babb. At the very least, we want to maintain the storefront." Feldman says he vetoed the budget be cause the Food-Op is "primarily used by the Greek system (fraternities and sororities). We shouldn't subsidize lower food costs for some at the expense of all.” Babb says, "I understand his point of view, but I disagree. Everybody is subsidiz ing all the ASUO programs, but they receive direct benefits from very few of them. Re gardless of whether students use it, the Food-Op is always there for them. "There's a real need for this type of or ganization. College students don’t have the bucks to run down to Safeway every time they want something to eat.”
