Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1981)
Emerald Graphic Bike committee gears up for celebration, meeting A ceremony this evening on the West Bank Bike Path near Valley River shopping center has a double purpose. Not only will the latest addition to Eugene’s bike paths receive a traditional dedication, but participants also will celebrate 10 years of state-supported bikeways. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the "Bike Bill,” legislation that requires spending 1 percent of all state high way division money for bikeways. Eugene has used its share of the funds to help construct some 60 miles of bikeways throughout the city, a bikeway system that has attracted national attention. On hand for the dedication ceremony will be members of the State Advisory Committee on Bicycles, who are meeting in Eugene today to discuss legislation currently under considera tion for maintenance and liability of the state’s bike paths and to consider proposals for a statewide bikeway master plan. The committee is appointed by the governor to oversee state bicycle projects and advise cities on bikeway construction. The ceremony gets underway at 6 p.m. with a bicycle decoration contest, offering a new bicycle as first prize. Registration for the contest will be at the Greenway Bike Bridge’s north end in the Valley River Center parking lot. Following the contest, city officials and state committee members will speak about state and local bikeway systems. The West Bank Bike Path is designed to connect bicyclists in the River Road area with downtown Eugene, according to Don Diment, president of the Eugene Bicycle Committee, the city-appointed group that coordinates local bikeway projects. Diment says the new addition will help those who have had to contend with heavy traffic on River Road in the past. Campus committee tries to slow student attrition By MARIAN GREEN Of the Emerald The dilemma of keeping University students at the University is one faculty and students are well aware of — but one that needs reiteration. That’s where the Student Retention Steering Committee comes in. The committee — composed of faculty, staff and students and chaired by English Prof. Nat Teich — studies student attrition and proposes ways to improve the University’s means of retain ing students. Almost one-half of the University's students leave before they complete their first two years of school, according to Teich ‘ Close to 50 percent of the students who enter won't be here at the beginning of their third year,” Teich says. He points out that this problem is common at most state universities. However, the committee submitted a long list of recommendations to slow student attrition and to make the University sensitive to the problem, Teich says. “We bring information to the forefront to make faculty who weren’t aware more conscious that problems do exist," he says. The recommendations include ways of in creasing or improving departmental and peer advising, urging more faculty/student contact and establishing faculty advisor training pro grams and teaching improvement programs. These recommendations emphasize improv ing student/faculty relations because "people get dissatisfied because the University is imper sonal," Teich says. The committee also recommended providing undeclared students with more career advising and direction, he says. About 2,000 University students are undeclared majors — the single largest major, according to Teich, who praised the University’s recent efforts in advising unde clared majors. One drawback in the recommendations is that several require faculty release time or money. This creates "an uphill battle” because of the University's sorry financial state, Teich says. Computer registration is one committee recommendation that has been delayed due to budget cutbacks, he says. "We’re urging the University Administration to put computer registration implementation as high as possible on its priority list.” Computerized registration is "the single most significant improvement" the administration could make in the students’ University exper ience, Teich says. A computerized system could make that initial student/University contact less frustrating while improving class offerings and choices, he says. In the final analysis, however, Teich main tains that student and faculty communication is still the key to retaining students. "There is no magic solution for faculty taking the time to talk to students and students taking the initiative to go talk to them." f attention CLASSIFIED STAFF Fred Wilhelm was recently appointed to fill the vacant classified staff position on the University of Oregon Bookstore’s Board of Directors. Fred is your representative. Contact him if you ever have a question, complaint or suggestion regarding the Bookstore. He can be reached either personally at the Graduate School in Chapman Hall or by telephone at 686-5133. uo 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30 Sat 10:00-2:00 BOOKSTORE Textbooks 686-3520 Supplies 686-4331 General Books 686-3510 J wotf® ot« G*'®0* \o< ^ C'c c, *$■ **■ .o'** ^ 'WT ©v*®' , *?<«*' Da«.m 4 4
