opinion__
Legislature finally forced to face facts
There’s a silver lining to the ominous financial
cloud haning over the state that just may get the
Legislature off its collective duff.
But it’s ironic that the state’s own plunging
revenue predictions may be what it takes to spur
Oregon’s lawmakers into facing the fact that the
state’s colleges and universities need more dol
lars.
In his address to students Wednesday, Pres.
Paul Olum echoed his familiar theme of University
devastation — the loss of programs, schools,
departments, faculty, staff and students — if the
Legislature doesn’t provide increased funding.
Short of a miracle, that funding must come
either in new taxes or reduced property tax relief.
Until now, legislators have so feared the
taxpayer’s wrath that they have let state property
tax relief escape unscathed. Olum’s called that
kind of politicking “short-sighted,” and that’s
mild.
With the new revenue figures, legislators have
no choice now but to stop stalling and start
legislating. And when they do, they’ll have to make
do with $86 million less than they thought they had
even in March.
For higher education, that's turning a sow’s
ear into a silk purse.
Legislators can no longer pander to the
popularity of property tax relief. One suggestion is
to link the relief with income. Olum admits that
“well-off people like me” — salary and expenses
of more than $65,000 — don’t need relief when the
rest of the state is begging on its knees.
Even more important is the governor’s tax
package. It’s an idea the public — and thus legis
lators — are much less enamored with. But they
can’t put off finding funding alternatives. They
can’t piddle around any longer.
The small costs taxpayers would bear just
don’t compare with the kind of destruction state
funded institutions are headed for.
In the face of decling revenue, there can be
no sacred cows. The time has come for action,
and legislators have no choice but to face — finally
— the session’s most pressing issue.
\/q jrs
Use CPPS
If a graduating student leaves the
University with no job and has not gained
skills in job search strategy, resume
writing or interviewing, or taken advan
tage of the employment assistance
services such as job vacancy notices,
employer directories, or the placement
register, the student has elected to not
fully use the resources of the University.
These resources are available at the
Career Planning and Placement Service,
246 Susan Campbell Hall
Yes, the prospect of job hunting is
unsettling. Difficult decisions con
cerning preferred type of work must
be made. Avoidance of the decision
increases the probability of taking a job
that provides little satisfaction other than
income
Employers will be calling the Career
Planning and Placement Service
throughout the spring and summer to list
jobs and to identify potential employees.
The CPPS can help Get on the
placement register and use the job no
tice system and the employer directories
Lawrence H. Smith
Director, CPPS
Overloaded system
I did not speak against conversion to
the semester system at the hearing on
Monday as reported in the Tuesday
Emerald I appeared on behalf of the
Student Retention Steering Committee
to raise a problem that might not have
r
been considered previously.
From our examination of the delays in
implementing computerized pre
registration, we conclude that lack
of funds, which translates into lack of
time and personnel, prevents the speedy
completion of work on programs and
records necessary for the information
system. We are concerned about the
impact on our support services if three
major projected changes occur at the
same time: changes in group
requirements, semester system, and
pre-registration.
My point was that rather than being
efficient, such major changes taken
together may strain an already overload
ed support system. Unfortunately, Tues
day’s article did not accurately report
what I said.
Nat Teich
Professor, English
Brits and Sands
Don’t let the Revolutionary Communist
Youth Brigade’s support for Bobby
Sands condemn the cause of Irish reun
ification. Mike Rumble’s criticism of the
RCYB is well taken, but his views con
cerning Israel and Northern Ireland are
not
Rumble’s reference to a plebiscite
held in Northern Ireland was misleading.
What if a vote had been taken throughout
the whole of Ireland? By what right did
the British partition the island into coun
ties and retain control of the indus
trialized North, where pro-British
descendents of Scottish colonizers out
number the native Irish population? This
technique is known as gerrymandering,
and it is not entirely reputable.
The roots of the conflict in Northern
Ireland are deep — they may be traced to
centuries of British occupation and
repression. When considering the
terrorist tactics of the IRA, we need to
consider the military occupation and
terrorism which they combat. Until
recently, the British practiced torture on
Irish Republican prisoners — this has
been documented by Amnesty Interna
tional and condemned by the World
Court. By what right do British troops
occupy Northern Ireland? By what right
have they ever been there? Northern
Ireland is in a state of prolonged warfare,
and Bobby Sands was a prisoner of war
— a political prisoner.
Amy Reagin
Sophomore, math
Practice & preach
In Ronnie Cohen’s article, "Harassed
Gays Seek Protection” (May 18), Mike
O'Brien of Community Christian Concern
again claims that the victims might abuse
the very laws designed to protect their
human and civil rights. Again, Mike says
he "agrees with the intent of the ordin
ance" but . .
Mike O’Brien and his colleagues
turned their backs on oppression in
Eugene in 1978. But, in 1980 (Oct. 1, The
Oregonian), O'Brien and one of his
friends saw the light and admitted that
they "may have been wrong in 1978."
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t5’0«i star
Paoe 4 Section A
They informed a reporter for The Ore
gonian that, “They (O’Brien, et at) are
working together now to draft an
ordinance which would be very similar to
the one they worked so hard to abolish in
1978.” Well, Mr. O'Brien, you cannot
have it both ways. You know the truth
about harassment, persecution, and the
violations of rights; you have admitted
the great possibility of your errors in
1978; and you have expressed publicly,
your desire to "assuage fears of some
property owners and employers that
such an ordinance would impinge on
their rights.”
As a Christian committed to justice and
non-oppression, to equal protection,
and, like you, committed to a Christian
community “that is supposed to be a
loving community,” I call on you to end
your lukewarmness, your double-talk,
and your anti-Christian behavior. I call on
you to live up to your own words (“Ba
sically what we are saying is that any
person, regardless of lifestyle, should be
able to have it (a protective ordinance)
and not be discriminated against. What
you do on your own is up to you ”) and
support the anti-harassment ordinance
before the Eugene City Council.
Douglas Huneke
Presbyterian University Chaplain
Thanks, Mark
Last Friday our son had an accident on
his bicycle, leaving it and his two front
teeth in need of repair. It would have
been even worse except for the kindness
of ‘‘Mark, the biology major senior" who
helped him, carrying his bicycle for
about a mile on his shoulder (some of it
up hill) to our home. If you see this, Mark,
thank you for being the sort of person
you are. Your thoughtfulness is much
appreciated!
Daniel Kimble
Professor, psychology
Bills confused
Your article about the talk I gave on
uranium there last week was a good
article but a few facts were misreported.
Specifically, the nature of SB505 and
SB108 were confused SB505 deals with
the reclamation of surface mined land.
SB108 deals with radioactive waste. We
are trying to have it amended to make
further mining of Oregon's low grade
uranium more difficult. Specifically we
want the current special exemption for
uranium mill tailings dropped. They
should be treated the same way as other
radioactive waste.
Anyone who agrees should write Sen.
George Wingard, R-Eugene, and tell him
to drop the exemption for uranium mill
tailings from the statutes in SB108.
Joe Doyle
Mining Action Coalition