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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1980)
daily'Emerald Vol.81.No. 100 . Eugene, Oregon 97403 Thursday, February 21, 1980 iSiv:; ■ - Forum voices pros and cons Mandatory weatherization pondered By DAVID STEIN MAN Of the Emerald Eugene’s not too distant future may include mandatory weatherization, according to particiants • in an energy conservation forum Wednesday. More than 100 persons discussed manditory weatherization and listened to a panel of local energy experts discuss ways weatherization could be insti tuted in Eugene and whether it should be mandatory. The forum was sponsored by the Whiteaker Community Council, the Active Bethel Citizens and West University Neighbors. Cheryl Hawkins, a WCC representive and panel moderator, read a proposal that would make manda tory weatherization of all homes — including rentals, single-family units and duplexes — and commercial and industrial facilities. “The city needs an ordinance passed that would require weatherization,” said John Bartels, Eugene Water and Electric Board commissioner and a panel member. “Of 3,000 home-energy audits EWEB has conducted only 15 percent have followed up with weatherization.” Bartels proposed that EWEB establish a grant program that would allow renters or homeowners to weatherize their dwellings. The cost of weatherization would be added to the consumer’s bill after an EWEB inspection, but the bill wouldn’t be higher than normal, said Bartels, explaining that weatherization would cut energy consumption. But Bartels said he doubted such a grant program or other weatherization subsidies the public utility might provide would be constitutional — but EWEB wants to test the case before the state Supreme Court. Oregon’s constitution may require an amendment similar to a Washington state amendment that provides public utilities the opportunity to subsidize weatherization projects, he said. Richard Case, Northwest Natural Gas district manager for the Eugene area and panel member, said he would "prefer to see incentives and education do the job,” but conceded that "incentives and educa The audience participated equally with panelists at the Eugene Energy Forum Wednesday, with the people divided almost equally for and against mandatory tion are falling short in what needs to be done.” The panel also discussed how to induce rental unit weatherization. “It's unrealistic to expect renters to weainerize since they won’t be there very long and they’re not going to recieve the benefits,” said Emily Schue, a panelist and city councilor. “The only fair way to weatherize is to have everyone do it together.” Some audience members argued that mandatory weatherization is a violation of individual rights and liberties. Others countered that weatherization is no more a violation of rights than the installation of utility meters on property. "I don’t see how putting a layer of foam in my attic is a violation of my rights,” said Tom Lynch, a repre Photo by Joe Schnabel weatherization. The city Energy Conservation Policy Board will consider mandatory weatherization at its March 5 meeting in council chambers. senative for Business and Professional People for Sane Energy, a Eugene group of more than 100 small businesses. But Robert McNeely, a representative of the University group More Power To Ya, quoted from a 1979 Business Week article that alleged formaldyhyde used in foam manufacturing could cause cancer in humans and had caused nasal tumors in rats. Another speaker said those who had weatherized before incentives shouldn’t be penalized by being forced to share in a public-weatherization bill. The City of Eugene’s Energy Conservation Policy Board will consider mandatory weatherization at its March 5 meeting in the council chambers at 7:30. Law school agrees to minority task force By JEFF ENGLAND Of the Emerald University Law School faculty and the Minority Law Students Association met Wednesday and agreed to form a special task force to curb high minority law student academic probation rates. Currently 69 percent of first year min ority law students are on academic probation. The task force, to be composed of minority law students, faculty members and non-minority law students, should begin work early next week, said Chapin Clark, dean of the law school. Six suggestions to reduce the high probation rates were outlined last week in an MLSA platform. They are: • Students with predicted grade point averages below 2.0 or other minimal qualifications should be admitted on a “conditional" basis and "required to participate in an intensive writing clinic prior to law school," as well as a one year tutorial program primarily aimed at im proving writing and analysis skills. Also, students "identified as having severe writing problems should be required to take a reduced load for the first year,” while participating in the tutorial program. • It is recommended that the D grade should be abolished from the law school grading system because it has had a "disproportionate and adverse impact" on minority students. • A summer writing clinic, a minority tutorial program and a four-year reduced load program should be implemented as supportive programs. "The Legal Research and Writing policy of ‘no help from upper class per sons on first year students’ papers' tends to inhibit rather than foster student learning of legal writing skills,” the proposal says. "With tutorial assistance, a student with writing problems has a better chance to learn the skills they need." • Students who fail a course should have the option of retaking the exam during the next semester in which the class is offered. Upon retake, the second grade should be adopted up to a max imum of a C-plus, and the first grade would be deleted from the record. • An affirmative action officer should be employed on a part-time basis to work with students on minority and affirmative action issues. • Increased administration and faculty sensitivity to minority persons and awareness of minority issues should be pursued. After the meeting, some MLSA members indicated progress is being made in that particular area. “Generally speaking, we really cleaned the air. As Professor (Charles) Wilkinson pointed out, many of the is sues are subtle and won't be solved easily, ' MLSA member Chip Lazenby said. "The exchange of ideas was done in a very positive way, and we can only go up from here. I feel a lot more optimistic about the situation than I have in recent weeks.’’ Accusations that law school faculty are indifferent to minority concerns are ‘‘absolutely not true," said law Prof. Dave Frohnmayer. "I resent the as sumption that we are not concerned. You should assume that we are con cerned.” MLSA member Vicki Toyohara said the meeting helped to alleviate "a lot of misconceptions that existed on each side.” Clark and some faculty members had favored reviewing the platform through existing standing committees in the law school, but the MLSA and other faculty argued successfully for a special task force. irge Weyerhaeuser is op about the wood-industry fu ture in the Northwest, but the im mediate future is troubled by the threat of strict herbicide regulations. For an industry view see Page 3A. J-ditors of local literary magazines outline “just what they’re looking for" in poetry, fiction and graphics and photos in this week’s Hear and Now section. For a Eugene writer's market guide see Page 4B. Qespite the scandal which recently swept through the athletic department, the Ducks had a suc cessful recruiting season. Nineteen recruits signed letters of intent. To discover who see Page 5A.
