opinion_
Don’t over-regulate innocent fraternities
Most of the sanctions imposed Tuesday on
the Kappa Sigma fraternity in the wake of its
violation of hazing rules were even-handed. The
campus-wide stipulation placed on all fraternity
initiations, however, exceeds the bounds of
fairness.
In his investigation report for the University,
Dean of Students Bob Bowlin mandated that
alumni advisers must oversee all fraternity initia
tions and pre-initiation activities, and that the
advisers must certify that the fraternities adhere to
all anti-hazing guidelines.
In the name of fostering better fraternity
alumni relations, Bowlin has over-disciplined the
majority of fraternities and their leaders, whose
innocence must be presumed in the absence of
guilt.
While there is little doubt that Kappa Sigma
violated the no-hazing rules of the fraternity and
the University, those violations shouldn’t reflect so
unfavorably on the other 13 houses on campus.
It’s safe to assume that many pre-initiation
activities have at least teetered on the edge of
hazing. But it’s equally safe to assume that none of
the activities have been malicious, and that
fraternity leaders now will voluntarily scale down
their questionable pre-initiation activities.
The Greek system is as upset about the injury
of the two Kappa Sigma pledges as the rest of the
campus — probably even more upset. Fraternity
leaders know the reputation of the entire system
often relies on the individual reputations of every
fraternity. More than any group on campus,
fraternal organizations must beware of guilt by
association.
That’s why Bowlin’s move is unneccessary.
Aware that they're being watched with scrupulous
eyes, fraternities will be extra careful in policing
themselves. Whatever fraternity violations occur
in the next year, it’s a safe bet that such obvious
hazing won’t be one of them.
In the meantime, all 14 fraternities must sub
mit to the belittling insinuation that they can’t keep
their own houses clean. Clearly, only Kappa
Sigma deserves that condemnation.
On yet another new front, we re reminded
how regrettable it is that injuries must occur
before safety measures are taken.
But cracking down on innocent fraternities
doesn’t put the horses back into the barn. And
until they give some indication they can’t handle
the responsibility, fraternities should be free to
keep their own barn doors closed without a
legislated overseer.
vars
ESCAPE cuts
The Incidental Fee Committee recently
decided to make major cuts in the
ESCAPE program budget, and while I did
not agree with much of what the com
mittee did, I concur wholeheartedly with
their decision to stop funding the
ESCAPE Volunteer Resource Manuals.
These manuals have been a source of
controversy for several years, and
should have been excised from the
budget long ago.
Representatives of the ESCAPE
program have argued that because of
the unusual costs incurred by their
volunteers, such as travel to and from
placements, the program should not
expect volunteers to bear the additional
cost of buying the manuals. The
estimated $3 cost that each student
would have to pay for their manual does
not seem excessive Many participants in
the CSPA Legislative Internship Program
pay up to $12 weekly in travel costs, and
over 80 classes in many departments
may require a class fee.
The program also has defended fund
ing the manuals on the grounds that
ESCAPE cannot, because of University
regulations, charge a class fee for print
ed material, or sell material that is printed
at their special School of Education
rates. These arguments are a technical
smokescreen that dissolves on contact
with the basic point of contention: why
shouldn't ESCAPE students buy their
manuals at the Bookstore or at Kinko's,
just like students in other for-credit
programs? ESCAPE might need front
I
money for the printing, but if an actual
charge were being made for the
manuals, the money would come back to
the department that provided it.
Incidental fees are, according to the
rules of the Oregon State Board of
Higher Education, intended to provide
for the physical and cultural
development of students. They should
not be misused to subsidize any aca
demic program, even a good program
like ESCAPE.
Alan Contreras
Junior, political science
Deficiencies?
Oregonians read in the Feb 1 Eugene
Register-Guard that a Nigerian student
was dropped from his doctoral program
simply because of “academic defi
iencies." If so, please look at these hard
facts:
• In September 1975 five doctoral
students including me were admitted in
the political science department.
• My overall admission scale was 4 5 out
of 5 with three excellent letters.
• I was the first doctoral student to
complete academic requirements except
the dissertation.
• I was the first to be advanced to Ph D.
candidacy in the summer of 1976.
• I was the first to complete a disserta
tion which was accepted for defense by
the four members of my committee.
• After the defense on May 15, 1978 I
was not told whether I passed or failed,
nor was the result of the defense report
ed immediately to the Dean as the
regulation enjoins.
How could a whole committee allow a
candidiate to defend a bad dissertation?
How do the above facts indicate
"academic deficiencies?" Do Oregon
ians know that upon the rejection of the
dissertation on March 16, 1979 I
appealed to the graduate school, whose
appeals committee recommended a
review of the dissertation, but that
recommendation was overlooked? Why
was my program terminated while the
other four students are still in it now? Do
Oregonians know that my suit was dis
missed without my knowledge for 30
days, giving me no opportunity to
appeal?
Uyoata Oka Ekandem
2372 Patterson St., Eugene
Time for change
It was a good thing men’s basketball
coach Jim Haney acted as cheerleader
this season, waving his arms while trying
to ignite the crowd.
The rally squad showed us they were
nothing more than a dance team, and as
such, were not interested in leading
cheers.
There are two options for improving
the system next year First, since it is
funded by the financially troubled
athletic department, the rally squad
could be dropped to save a small amount
of the department's money.
Second, the squad makeup could be
changed from guys who can execute
gymnastic routines and women who
know the latest disco step, to members of
-
\ \
both sexes who can lead cheers and
vocalize the Mac Court crowd. At least
then we could be getting our money’s
worth.
But as long as athletic director John
Caine leaves Deanna Koenig in as rally
advisor, I don’t expect there will be any
improvements. Maybe it’s time for a
change, John!
Re: Mr. Albrecht’s failure to
understand my reasoning (obviously why
he considered it loose).
Firstly, I compared a fetus with an
appendix to demonstrate that human life
is not necessarily the same as human
being. Mr. Albrecht did not contest this.
Secondly, he argued that because all
human beings were once fetuses, all
fetuses are human beings. Ridiculous.
All human beings were once unjoined
ovum and sperm. Surely he does not
maintain that killing ova and sperm is
killing human beings.
Thirdly, I did not use the dependence
of the fetus to argue my right to kill it. The
fetus is dependent on me because it is
part of my body. Because it is a part of my
body and is not a human being, I have the
right to choose to kill it. This argument is
not relevant to euthanasia and infan
ticide. The elderly and infants are human
beings and are not part of my body.
Fourthly, I had meant to be un
mistakably clear. I believe abortion is a
religious issue. Some religions maintain
that the fertilized egg is a human being
from the moment of conception. Others
do not. It cannot be determined scien
tifically. Therefore, defining abortion as
murder is a religious definition.
Finally, Mr. Albrecht’s statement that
most religious people oppose abortion
shows his inability to distinguish in
dividual belief from fact. One may be be
deeply religious without sharing Mr
Albrecht’s beliefs. Thank Goddess.
The Emerald will accept and
try to print all letters containing
fair comment on ideas and
topics of interest to the Univer
sity community. Letters must be
typewritten and no longer than
250 words.
Letters must be signed, the
author’s field of study or faculty
status noted and must include
address and phone number
for verification.
John Sowell
Sophomore, pre-journalism
Life or being?
Mary Skinner
B.A., physics