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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1980)
opinion ASUO executive will direct ‘no-name’ IFC The handful of University students voting in the ASUO elections Oct. 29 and 30 will elect an inexperienced Incidental Fee Committee, but the smart money isn’t forecasting doom for the ASUO. That’s not to say the IFC isn’t important. This year the committee will allocate $2 million in student fees during a grueling seven month bud geting process; it’s members will play a large role in molding ASUO policy; and it will serve as a breeding ground for student leaders of the next two years. With the infrequent exception of intervention by the University administration or the State Board of Higher Education, the IFC is a pretty auton omous body. The committee has the power to begin funding new programs, discontinue funding old programs and rearrange priorities for funding 75 student groups. The IFC is important. But traditionally, fee committee members have had no student government experience at the University before serving on the committee, tiectmg inexperiencea IFCs is the rule, not the exception. And whether it's by chance or direction from the ASUO executive office, the fee committee usually turns out all right. Last year it was chance. This year, direction from Suite 4 will insure the smooth budgeting of our $2 million. Indeed, five out of seven of last year’s IFC members still hold the reigns of student power. Dave Eaton was elected ASUO president. Chris Moore was named vice president for adminstra tion and finance. Jerry Bernau was appointed vice president for state and university affairs. Alan Contreras will work with Bernau as legislative coordinator. And Jon Neide^bach, the only sea sonea iro memuer ruimmy iui ic-wcuui/u, almost sure of regaining his seat. So while the new committee will be short on experience, it should be long on outside advice. For example, Moore will require programs to establish goals and budgeting criteria through his office before applying for IFC funding. The extra step will make more realisitic budget figures available to the fee committee, and will force program directors to plan their budgets responsi bly. In the meantime, winter budget hearings will train a new group of student leaders. Our op timism shouldn’t be construed as a plug for apathy, however. With only 12 candidates for the committee, we should scrutinize the junior poli ticians carefully and vote to insure our money is spent wisely. Most of the candidates are no-names now, but then who had heard of Eaton, Moore, Bernau, Contreras and Neiderbach last October? vours A trust betrayed How many times have you heard someone talking about a developing country and saying all they really need to be thriving and prosperous is a massive infusion of American technology and know how? Actually, once is too many times. Let's examine a modern victim of U S. generosity: Micronesia. The U S. is in the process of ending its 36-year occupation and UN Trusteeship The U S. has promised to withdraw in 1981 and form a free association partnership Microne sians are not sure it will work. Very little has in the past 36 years. When the Dept, of Agriculture began doling out food, agricultural production fell in 10 years from 33 million pounds annually to one million. Export earnings in 1976 were only 13 percent of import outlays. There is a phenomenally high suicide rate in Micronesia in the 16 to 26 age group (70 per 100,000 in 1975). Micronesia passed from becoming a World War II battleground in the '40s to a nuclear testing ground in the '50s which had the effect of vaporizing five tropical islands and making many others unin habitable The government programs lavished on Micronesia have had neg ligible results, providing less than 90 miles of paved roads and no economic infrastructure of consequence The whole undertaking, in the words of U S Ambassador to the UN, Donald F. McHenry, is a "trust betrayed.” David Isenberg Junior, international relations Use bike lanes An amazing 100 percent of the bikes I have seen at night this week have had no lights Evidently their owners don't realize how invisible they are to car drivers. Unlit bikes are small, low-lying black objects against a black background, competing with the visual distractions of approaching headlights, overhead street lights and traffic lights, and windshield glare If somebody makes an unexpected maneuver, the invisible bicyclist doesn't have a chance! Please, bicyclists, use head and tail lights And pay a little extra to get lights that can compete visually with car and street lights; those little battery-powered strap-ons are too feeble to give protec tion. Pat Lambert Secretary, biology No restricting zone The driveway that runs from Unversity Street behind the Faculty Club continues oast Johnson Hall as far as the driveway mm ; SHE'S SHORT f \CMX,Sj w/ ^ *ifh mrftXA(s fk I connecting the Johnson Hall parking lot with the one serving Susan Campbell and the Art Museum At the junction, a new sign post has sprouted, bearing not one but two signs. The upper of these (with green letters) proclaims: “RESTRICTED BY PERMIT ONLY." We have here a participle modified by a prepositional phrase, but the sign-maker has forgotten to tell us what it all refers to. The omission is made good by the red-lettered lower sign: “TOW AWAY ZONE." Now it becomes clear: we are not allowed to restrict the tow-away zone unless we have first ob tained a permit. I have no experience in restricting tow-away zones In fact, at the moment I cannot think why I would want to restrict a tow-away zone But you never know these days Is it too much to request a third sign (perhaps with blue letters?) telling us where we can obtain the per mits required to restrict the zone? Stephen Reynolds Assolcate Professor, religious studies Economic order How many people have heard anything about the negotiations on the New Inter national Economic Order? More to the point, does anyone take an interest? I would suspect the answer to both ques tions is no, which is rather apalling, considering the success or failure of the negotiations will in large part determine the U S international relations for many years to come The following analogy will make the need for the successful passage of the NIEO clearer. If the world were a global village of 100 people, six of them would be Americans. These six would have over a third of the village’s income, and the other 94 would subsist on the other two-thirds. How could the wealthy six live "in peace" with their neighbors. Surely they would be driven to arm themselves against the other 94 — perhaps even to spend, as Americans do, about twice as much per person on military defense as the total income of two-thirds of the villagers. In order to avoid living in a permanent state of siege because America contin ues to engage in global gluttony, a radical restructuring of the international economic system is necessary. This is the intent of the NIEO and it is in the interest of Americans to support it. David Isenberg Junior, international relations In memory of Mike Johnston Mike Johnston 1955-1980 To a few Mike Johnston was only a name, but to the Student University Affairs Board, Mike was an energetic and aggressive diplomat. Mike was known by many, for he interacted with all walks of like, and part of that life was contributed to being a legislator in SUAB It was a surprise to many to hear of his death. He talked little of his illness (leukemia), and his attitude certainly was not a give-away. He was always positive and strong, and very enthu siastic about life. He loved being active, not only physically but mentally. It is difficult to say which he loved most: bicycling or arguing He was a powerful oralist indeed These characteristics along with his desire to work with and for others led Mike into becoming chairer of SUAB. It was unfortunate he was only able to act as chairer for two months. Mike had great hopes for SUAB and had the determination and ambition to see things accomplished. He was a convincing motivator and would have been an effective chairer, not only for his ability to organize and direct but for his desire to take an active stance on any issue. Memories of working with Mike and knowing him as a sincere friend will remain with us, and it is with sorrow that he is no longer a part of the Board pursuing what he loved most — invol vement. Julie St. Clair and 13 co-algnlng SUAB members
