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
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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