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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1981)
Emerald Vol. 82, No. 109 Thursday, February 26, 1981 r Eugene, Oregon 97403 Sports tickets to cost students By PAUL TELLES 01 the Emerald University students will have to pay for athletic tickets next year because students may pay less of their inciden tal fee to the athletic department, the ASUO and the adminstration agree. John Caine Plan may lower fee next year Abuu Hres. uave taton has sug gested that the athletic fee, which was increased from $5 to $17 per term this year, should be lowered by approxima tely $5 next year But the difference in total student contributions to intercollegiate athle tics — about $85,000 per term — will have to be made up by charging students for tickets to sporting events, Eaton says. If the department can't sell enough tickets, which would be offered to students at a reduced rate, the ASUO will make up the shortfall, Eaton says. But if ticket sales prove more lucrative than expected, the department will have to return the difference to the ASUO. “We (the ASUO) want the total student contribution to athletics to be approximately the same’’ as it is this year, Eaton says. “That’s a much fairer arrangement’’ than the current system of subsidizing the department with student fees and offering free tickets to athletic events, says Acting University Pres Paul Olum “We (the administration and the ASUO) have a common mind on that.” Olum says he was impressed by an argument against the fee system raised during a convocation last term — that it isn’t fair to charge all students for ath letic events that only a few attend. Consequently, the ASUO and the administration will have to settle only the details when they begin discussing the fee level in a few weeks, Olum says. Athletic Director John Caine says he has no objections to the plan as long as the level of student contribution stays the same. “The program requires the basic funding of the athletic department fee,” Caine says. But neither Olum nor Caine is ready to endorse another ASUO proposal that part of the athletic fee be transferred to the Recreation and Intramurals pro gram next year Eaton says the ASUO is interested in the idea because intramurals provide more service to students than intercol legiate athletics. However, the proposal is still tentative, he adds. Caine objects to the proposal, saying that it would decrease student support to the athletic department, which is already considering cutting four pro grams because of budget problems. ‘‘Anything that reduces the funds we are expecting would cause us serious problems.” Olum says he can’t comment on the proposal until he discusses it with Ea ton, learns more about the intramural program’s current funding and as sesses the proposal’s possible impact on the athletic department’s budget. All three say they hope to resolve the athletic fee issue this year without go ing to the State Board of Higher Education, which had to settle their differences last year. Paul Olum Judge gives board authority to dump stock By RICHARD WAGONER Of the Emerald University student leaders claimed a victory for struggling South Africans in a Lane County Circuit Court ruling Tuesday that gave the state Board of Higher Education (SBHE) ‘‘ul timate authority” to sell stock in companies dealing in South Africa. But the students warned that the court action is just one vic tory in a three-year court battle Circuit Court Judge George Woodrich ruled that the SBHE is the only agency that can lawful ly make investment and divest ment decisions involving higher education endowment funds. The action seemingly brings one step closer the divestment of stock in companies that do business in South African countries with records of dis crimination against blacks. The board has $2 7 million of endowment funds invested in stocks in firms doing business in South Africa, Zimbabwe (for merly Rhodesia) and Namibia (formerly South-West Africa). The ruling stems from a law suit filed in November 1978 by a long list of plaintiffs, led by the ASUO and the Portland State University student government. The suit seeks to prevent the SBHE from investing endow ment funds in businesses that deal in countries with white minority governments and racial segregation laws. In addition to giving the state board complete authority over investments, Woodrich’s ruling limits the Oregon Investment Council’s power to make in vestment decisions The invest ment council oversees invest ment of state funds. The controversy erupted in November 1977 when the SBHE voted to sell its stock in com panies doing business in South Africa. The investment council vetoed the divestment, and then-Attorney General James Redden ruled that the board couldn’t sell the stock without the investment council's ap proval. Woodrich’s opinion overturns Redden’s ruling. "The only agency currently authorized by the Legislature to hold, invest, or reinvest endow ment funds in common stock is the Board (SBHE),’’ Woodrich ruled. "Not only is the (investment) council not specifically author ized to invest in common stock, but it is specifically prohibited from investing funds in common stock," he wrote. "This is something that we’re really excited about," said Rich Wilkins, ASUO vice president for state university affairs, at a press conference Wednesday. “We’re happy to see the judge write a ruling we can be sup portive of. This is a substantial victory." Dick Young of the American Federation of Teachers agreed "This is a victory for the people Pledge faces operation University student Mark Roiser was still in “serious condition” Wednesday and student Ron Pierce was "improved and stable” after the two were struck by an automobile Sunday night near Marcoia Meanwhile, Dean of Students Robert Bowlin says investigations by the University and the Kappa Sigma alumni commission into the ac cident should be completed within a week Roiser, 18, is suffering from head injuries and is scheduled for surgery today at McKen zie-Willamette Memorial Hospital, according to a nursing supervisor. Pierce, 18, is suffering mas sive cuts and bruises. The two Kappa Sigma pledges - uninitiated fraternity members — were injured when they were struck by a car while walking with seven other pledges along a dark road near Marcoia. The sheriffs department said the students had flagged down a fire buck and were asking for a ride to a telephone when a car drove around a comer, causing the group to scatter. Pierce and Roiser were hit while trying to flee. No citations have been issued in connec tion with the accident The students reportedly had been left at Shotgun Creek park by fraternity members and had been told to find their way back to Eugene. Bowlin said the two investigations will help determine if the incident involved hazing — an activity prohibited by the University and frater nities. If the pledge outing was an organized house activity, hazing may very well be involved, Bowlin added. The fraternity could be suspended from University activities if hazing is determined. Members of the atumni commission will meet in Eugene Friday to discuss, the accident. Bowlin said the commission will report to die University when its investigation is complete in South Africa for their contin uing struggle for self rule.” But at least one student leader was not as optimistic Black Student Union Pres. Donald Brown said he will save his congratulations until the stocks are actually sold “I'm somewhat of a pes simist,” Brown said at the press conference. “I’ll wait until the actual proceedings begin I believe in empirical evidence We want to see it happen.” Blacks have seen many laws put on the books without seeing the benefits, Brown said. “Ever yone is saying this is a victory, but I’m sure they have some legal tricks up their sleeves.” Before any divestment can begin, at least one more legal hurdle must be jumped, said Susan Buckles of the Eugene Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. Any state board investment decisions must pass the ’’prudent investment rule,” which states that all investment decisions must be economically sound and provide maximum financial benefits for the inves tor Whether divesting the con troversial stocks is a prudent financial decision will be up to the courts to decide, Buckles said. "It's been a long process, and this is just a preliminary mo tion,” Buckles said. "This won’t be settled for awhile."
