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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1978)
daily emerald Vol. 80, No. 66 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Wednesday, December 6, 1978 Story problem Question: If the combined student population of the University bums X-amount of calories studying for fi nals, how long would this expended energy heat all of the buildings on campus? by Sieve Dytws GTFF to divvy up health care dollars By MIKE HOPKINS Of the Emerald The $25,000 health care fund included in the Graduate Teach ing Fellows Federation’s recent contract settlement with the Uni versity will be divided among GTFs who apply for a share, the GTFF decided Tuesday. Members who attended the union's monthly business meeting also elected officers, grievance committee members and rep resentatives to the Lane County Labor Council. However, balloting on two proposed amendments to the organization's bylaws was ex tended until Friday because the sparsely-attended meeting lacked the quorum required for rules changes. The procedure for distributing the health care fund adopted at the meeting was the same plan recommended Thursday by the union s executive council, which consists of the six GTFF officers and one representative from each University department and agency where GTFs are em ployed. According to the procedure, a five-member governing board will accept applications for portions of the money and distribute it equally among the applicants. Before ap portioning the fund, the Board must determine what adjustments to make for GTFs with depen dents. The procedure stipulates that GTFs already covered by health insurance policy for which they did not pay directly—such as a plan set up through a spouse’s employer—will be ineliegible to redeve a share of the fund. University negotiators submit ted the extra-contractual fund, which is to be drawn from private sources, during bargaining talks that ended in November when the GTFF and the University signed their first contract. GTFF Pres. Charlie Aker told the meeting the fund was intended to be used to offset the cost of health care for GTFs. State law prohibits the Univer sity from paying into a health in surance plan for GTFs because they are less-than-half-time em ployees. The procedure includes the re quirement that applicants to the health fund sign a statement promising to use their portion for health care purposes. Aker said the executive council had rejected a proposal to require applicants to show proof of purchase of health insurance. Absentee balloting for two proposed amendments to the union's bylaws will continue through Friday in the GTFF office at 868 E. 13th St The first formally establishes a grievance commit tee, and the second allows GTFs on official leave from the Univer sity to retain full membership rights. Voting for the six officer posi tions went quickly, with all candi dates running unopposed. Charlie Aker won re-election as president and former recording secretary Jeff Edmundson be came vice president. Also elected were: Ck>ra Fisher and Lorraine Kangas, recording secretaries; Alex Gonzalez, treasurer; and Cindy Corison, press representative. Lack of funds may cause Drug Info Center to close today A brief snow shower Tuesday morning reminded everyone that the hilts will soon be fit for skiing. Today's sports supplement also signals the beginning of ski season with hints on where to go and what to buy, starting on Page 1b. By KELI OSBORN Of the Emerald Cutbacks in funding requests on top of a "bare-bones operating budget” could close the University Drug Information Center by Dec. 31, program director Mark Miller says. Support money has been scarce for the center, he says, due to cutbacks in government spend ing. The DIC received almost $22,000 less than it sought in the 1978-79 fiscal year from state and county agencies', the University health, physical education and re creation department; and the ASUO. Money that one DIC staff thought available to the program from the state did not come through because of a 7 percent limitation on budget increases, Services Manager Dale Gordon says. DIC sought $13,000 more for 1978-79 than it received last year from the state’s alcohol and drug program hoping the state would match locally raised funds, Gor don explains. But the state applied its limitation—giving the DIC last year’s funding and an additional 7 percent—which resulted in a loss of more than $12,000 requested by the program, he adds. As a result of funding cutbacks, Gordon says the DIC is unable to pay salaries for the five-member, full-time staff after Dec. 31. The center needs a “little over $5,000” a month to fund salaries and DIC services, he says. “Nobody here makes an exor bitant amount of money—after taxes, it’s only about $700 a month," Gordon says. If the DIC (continued on Page 3A) Have a good scoop on a government rip-off? if so. The American Citizens for Honesty in Government will pay you money for your information. Turn to Page 8A to find out more. Tuesday night a University professor predicted that public dissatisfaction with the present education system will result in an overhaul of school financing. See Page 9A.
