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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1979)
Suite 4 sweepstakes Incidental Fee Committee member Scott Bassett cites student government experience and past successes in dealing with the University administra ASUO candidate Tom Christ says the ASUO needs to take a "realistic approach” to student government, which necessitates focusing on ad Mike Lee says he is doing something for nothing "It's very hard for most students to make a choice among ASUO can IIIIAMI III ASUO presidential Candida's Amy Tobias considers her greatest asset be energy, and she hopes to apply it improvement of academic quality. Page 14 5 5 Scott Bassett bon as pnmary reasons students should elect him ASUO president "Other candKlates can say they have the background to do a good job — I think I've demonstrated that I can." he says of he work on the IFC and with the dorm governance council The "successes" Bassett refers to are information cards distributed at regis tration that detari how incidental fees are divided among ASUO-supported programs and the installation of semi private phones in University dormitories, an issue Bassett says he had worked on with two other students since the summer. '1 have the patience and ability to find out about student concerns and then work them through the channels until somefhmg can be done." he explains Bassett says the mam thing students are concerned about is "their own education." He breaks down those concerns into three areas, cost, quality and utility The ASUO can protect student interest in each of these areas through careful research, student representation on committees that decide University policy, legislative lobbying, and a more coordinated effort with the Student University Affairs Board. Bassett says "The budget (ASUO Pres Ramon) Herrera has drawn up tor next year makes no mention of University affairs in the staff structure for next year If I get the job. I'll change the vice president tor state and federal affairs position to one dealing with student issues " Bassett says the person in that new position would work with the SUAB to provide some leadership and to coor dmate student support of campus is sues Additionally. Bassett says he would use his role as ASUO president to act as the students "delegated spokesperson " “Hopefully. I'm prepared enough to step directly into the office and fill that role from the beginning," says Bassett adding that he would poll students periodically to make sure he is representing them fairly Bassett says he opposes a constitu tional amendment to cut the fall election (“freshmen should have the right to vote") and executive appointment of two IFC representatives “It's a stupid idea." he says of the two appointments “It amounts to directly taking the student voice out of the process and opening the door to abuses by the ASUO president “ Tom Christ rrwustratiye tasks rather than peripheral "Candidates usually have idealistic attitudes rid make promises without admitting that here are very real limits on what they can actuary accomplish." he says ASUO student leaders spend too much time wortung on issues over which they have no real control, which results in apathy or in sett mterest programs, says Christ Most attenhon should be focused on programs and on the budget, says Christ adding that many recent issues, such as the release of evaluations and an EMU tavern proposal, have received too much attention "1 feel that the evaluation issue has consumed an excessive share of ASUO attention and resources.'* he says Christ said the excessive attention resulted because "there is nothing else lor people to latch onto " Although Christ favors the release ol faculty evaluations, he says a balance of time should be devoted to other issues, such as draft registration, incidental fee control, and to administration duties Christ calls proposed bills to reinstate the draft "an issue of critical importance to students, particularly when bills are written which make no allowance for educational deferment " Christ favors incorporating EMU and ASUO programs into one body so ‘hat the ASt'O directly controls all student programs, rather than splitting control with EMU administration The University administration, not students, should fund the EMU direc tor's salary, says Christ "Students should not be asked to pay tor services which they do not have authority over " Christ favors the constitutional amendment that allows the ASUO president to appoint two Incidental Fee Committee members because "steps need to be taken to insure that the egos, ambitions and prejudices ol the IFC are kept in line ” Christ disagrees with the IFC's recent decisions to cut recruitment funding for the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic. saying that all programs should receive recruitment funding based upon program quality and IFC money limitations Christ, a senior economics major, is currentty an EMU Board member, and has been vice president ot the Interfra ternity Council and of the junior class Mike Lee (Males They a* sound the same I want to make ft easier .'' Promising nothing is Lee's way of malung a easier for voters to distinguish between other candidates and himself '1 don't see any correlation between the promises and the deeds of past ASUO presidents.'' says Lee. a jour nalism student who works 16-20 hours each week answering phones at the Eugene Register Guard "l‘m not promisaig anything If promaing to do nottung is promising something. Lee has a response: *1 might break my promise " Lee says his satirical campaign isn’t as much a mockery of the ASUO as it is exploitation of toasting mockery. "Mnety-three percent of the students (MnT vote in last spring's election Only a thousand people voted for ASUO president and pro^(Donald) Duck forces garnered 1.500 votes (Lee led the cam paign to retain Donald Duck as Univer sity mascot when Emerald graphics ar tist Steve Sandstrom challenged with Mallard, his cartoon character, which appeared regularly in the Emerald through last year ) The following are quotes from his posters: * Only 7 percent of the students voted in last year's ASUO Presidential race — 93 percent of you voted for nothing by default — This year vote for nothing by ballot * You've ruined the ASUO by not vot ing — Now do it by voting * Many people have voted for can didates for all of the wrong reasons — Now's your chance * Some people think voting is a waste of time — Find out why * Other candidates may call the public toots in private — I'm doing it in public Prove them right * I'm not here to kiss the public's ass to get elected - I'm here to kick it Does this mean Lee doesn't take his own candidacy seriously? “I want the job. but the campaign itself is not serious Mostly it means that I know the limitations of the office as demonstrated during the past two years " Lee says people are beginning to take note of his campaign and ask what he thinks his chances are "I really don't know," he answers "But I would consider it a victory If the voting in this election was dramatically increased " Amy Tobias "Nobody running for the ASUO ever mentions academic quality.” she says "I'm taflung instruction Students have some input, but its relatively small” Tobias says reorganization of the Student Unweraity Affairs Board's priorities would facilitate improvement of academic issues. “The SUAB should lobby faculty members, she says. Tobtas. a business senior, has served as president oi her dorm, and was a representative to the Dorm Governance Committee She has been an EMU Board member, is director of the Information and Grievance Center, and is currently vrorfcing as a legislative intern for Rep John Kitzhaber. D-Roseburg. through a community service and public affairs department program "My greatest asset is energy.” Tobias says. “You ought 'a see my resume. I volunteer for anything " Though Tobias hasn’t had formal budgeting experience, she thinks that won't be a handicap if she's elected “Budgeting is only a part of it Dealing with people, choosing a goal, and paving a way to reach that goal is part of it. too .” Tobias says she would focus on SUAB more, and wurk with the board more than Hererra has. She thinks SUAB should k>bt<y the faculty on student is sues. parti '.ularly access to faculty course evaluations ”1 don’t think the faculty understands that we’re not trying to get back at them ” Tobias conducted a poll Wednes day and Thursday to sound out student opinion on the quality of their education, athletic subsidies, and course evalua tions She opposes ASUO Measure 3. which would permit the ASUO president to appoint two Incidental Fee Committee members, saying it would interfere with the committee's autonomy. She says she has no personal opinion concerning athletic subsidies, and would rather sound out the student body before making any recommendations However, she doesn't think incidental fees should be increased beyond 7 per cent to allow for inflation. It's unfair to ask the incidental fees be increased Students are students — they're not Rockefellers'*,,v' Friday, April 13, 1*7»
