Symposium’s future undecided
By KELI OSBORN
Of the Emerald
A diverse group of about 20 women
met in the Eugene Public Library Mon
day night to discuss the future of the
area’s third consecutive women’s sym
posium, which was funded by the ASUO
Incidental Fee Committee last year.
Mosi of the meeting’s two hours in
volved critiques of a similar symposium
held in April, and discussion on how best
to spend the funds left in its budget.
The group decided to use all surplus
funds for publication of the proceedings
of a Third World women’s conference
held recently in Salem.
Carolina Murillo and other minority
women at the meeting stressed the edu
cational nature of the hoped-for publica
tion.
"This will help bring us together,” one
University student said, adding that the
conference’s proceedings would alert
white women to the problems and con
cerns of minority women.
The main concern of those present at
Monday night’s meeting appeared to be
the participation in a future symposium
by Eugene’s minority women.
A coalition of Third World women
withdrew from last April's symposium,
charging its coordinators with prevent
ing their full participation.
Other conflicts also divided partici
pants in April's symposium and the
Eugene women hope to avoid similar
problems with early planning for next
year’s symposium.
But the women at Monday’s meeting
spent more time deciding how to spend
reserve funds than developing goafs
and ideas for a future symposium.
One woman standing against a waff
finally interrupted the group, “ We’re tatk
ing about the issue that is dividing-up
this country ... money!"
After a lengthy discussion of who
gets-what, the women agreed with
Laurie McClain who said, “I would like to
set up a good guideline structure, but
leave room for flexibility. And create
some trust-”
After allotting funds for publication of
the Third World womens’ conference
proceedings, the women discussed the
hiring of coordinators for the future sym
posium.
Murilto suggested that a screening
committee be formed with representa
tives from diverse student groups and
the community. The women decided to
meet again in July at an as-yet
unscheduled meeting.
Following Monday’s gathering, a new
resident of Eugene — Irene — expres
sed dismay over what she felt was an
unpleasant meeting. “There was a
whole lot of antagonism there. What
went wrong at the last symposium?”
"The women seem to represent very
defined groups; they seem quite sepa
rate from one another,” Irene said.
ASUO Pres. Ramon Herrera indi
cated Monday that his office is commit
ted to a women’s symposium and will
work closely with its coordinators.
“We will watch the money closely to
prevent any of last year’s problems,’
Herrera added.
Herrera admitted he has given little
thought to a future symposium. “I need
to sit down and talk it over with Maria
Meza (ASUO vice-president for pro
grams and community affairs) and
Donna (Donna Shepard, April’s sym
posium coordinator).”
“Maybe we won't have a symposium.
You know, somebody asked me if we
were going to have a men’s sym
posium," Herrera said.
Shepard, who was within earshot, tes
tily replied, “I don’t think you can stop it
from happening.”
“Well... I don’t mean to stop it,”
Herrera said.
Though the 1979 women’s sym
posium could be in for some rough sail
ing, many women remain eager to face
its problems.
As one woman put it Monday night,
"We’ve got to communicate, educate
each other. I really want to see this hap
pen.”
Women interested in organizing the
symposium should contact the ASUO at
686-3724 and keep their eyes open for
publicity about upcoming meetings.
Amazon Appeals Board seeks comment
The Amazon Appeals Board is seeking
written comments from people concerned
about the debt service policies of family
housing at the University.
Currently, the housing office projects that
part of the rent money from Amazon Mar
ried Student Housing tenants will be used to
retire the debt fund incurred building West
moreland Married Student housing three
miles west of campus.
At a meeting Last Thursday the Appeals
Board decided to solicit comments from the
housing office, Amazon and Westmoreland
tenants and other people intersted in the
issue before making its own decision on the
debt-funding issue.
Positions still open
The ESCAPE program still needs to fill
over 200 requests from the community for
student volunteers.
Previous experience is not necessary,
according to outgoing director Susannah
Malarkey.
ESCAPE is registering people today and
Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the EMU
lobby. Call the ESCAPE office, 686-^ :51,
for more information.
Comments should be addressed to any
of the Appeals Board’s three members:
Paul Goldman, 736 PLC; Jon Jacobson,
363 Law Center; or Keli Osborn, 107
Friendly.
Controversy over whether Amazon ten
ants should help pay off Westmoreland
started in February when the Amazon Fam
ily Housing Policy Board recommended
that Amazon residents no longer be re
quired to contribute to the Westmoreland
debt service. The housing office declined to
accept that recommendation and the issue
was referred to the Amazon Appeals Board
for resolution.
Final say rests with the University Presi
dent over the issue and is guided by the
otaxe tjoara oi nigner cuuuciuun ruiiuy u icu
“Residents of each of the three types of
housing shall contribute, by means of ap
plicable rental rates, toward the total debt
service of that type of housing.”
The Appeals Board is soliciting com
ments and arguments explaining why or
why not Westmoreland debt service con
tributions should be paid for by Amazon
residents and what principles should be
applied to the issue of how much should be
paid by residents of each project.
Amazon Community Housing tenants
have remained strictly opposed to sharing
the Westmoreland debt, saying they
shouldn’t be expected to pay for housing
they don't live in.
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