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.”