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."