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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1981)
Emerald Vol. 83, No 21 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Friday, October 2, 1981 Sunset on summer Photo by Bob Baker For one shining moment, there was summer The kind of weather that produced this beautiful sunset Thursday will soon be just a memory. The National Weather Service is claiming that clouds will cover us today, bringing with them a chance of rain today and Saturday. At the same time, however, the temperature once again may reach into the high seventies. Club offers curious a slice of academia By LORELEI CALLAHAN Of ttw Emaratd Finding the right speaker tor the right speech isn't easy. Just ask Don Woodcock, a graduate teaching fellow who works in the Speaker s Club Bureau, part of the University’s community services office “One woman called up from the Mothers of World War II Ve terans, and another was a lady who wanted someone to demonstrate to her group how to make yarn flowers,” Wood cock says “Obviously, we could not fill their requests ” The bureau performs a “clea ringhouse function," providing community groups with instant experts who speak on a variety of subjects Volcanoes were a particularly hot topic last year The bureau also serves as a referral service to other com munity groups, he says "If we can't meet the request, we will try to refer a person to the appropriate organization or even give a suggestion for another topic that we can meet," Woodcock says. Although most groups want speeches on specific topic areas, some just want to hear about the University Curt Simic, vice president for public services, speaks to many community groups about the University's budget, a topic that became popular during last year’s legislative session. “There is a lot of genuine in terest and curiosity about the University, and unfortunately the media only is able to give fragmented reports,” Simic says "It has been a great oppor tunity to get out and talk about specifics.” Speeches by faculty members help to flesh out the educational skeleton the public sees, Simic says Local, statewide and regional groups all contact the University requesting professors to speak to their groups Contacting individual profes sors could be difficult for groups unfamiliar with the University's faculty, so the bureau serves as the go-between, Woodcock says All professors speak under the auspices of the University, he says Professors are not paid to speak to groups, but do it as a public relations opportunity for their individual departments and also for the University as a whole. Woodcock says "It is rare to have a speaker’s fee When a professor consents to speak, it shows that the insti tution is responsive to the com munity at large. "The only cost that should incur to the group is the price of the speaker’s lunch,” Wood cock says. The bureau requires follow up procedures to be taken after each speech. The speaker as well as the community group is asked to fill out a response form, which helps in further placements, he says. Postal Service decision costs University By RON HUNT Ot*M EmaraM The U. S Postal Service isn't helping to stamp out inflation — it's adding a $50,000 headache to the University University budget manager Ralph Sun derland estimates that the Postal Service's deci sion Wednesday to raise the cost of a first class stamp from 18 to 20 cents will run the University an extra $50,000 or so over the next year. "Everything you buy will go up You just take up your belt another notch." Sunderland says In about a week, his office will know better how to deal with the cost increase The increase, decided by a unanimous vote of the Postal Service board of governors, is the first time the Postal Service has raised the rate without approval from the Postal Rate Commis sion — established in 1971 as a separate entity The increase will take effect Nov 1 But neither snow nor sleet nor gloom of night can keep the University from loathing the in crease "It's difficult for us to absorb any more costs Personally, here are more charges when I can't see service improving." says Bill McLaughlin, business affairs director "We've absorbed terrific increases (from the Postal Service) every time we turn around " Eugene Postmaster Al Bradford says the 20-cent rate will remain stable for almost three years because of a labor contract signed on July 1 that expires in three years "We serve the public better by stabilizing the rates over the next two years or so" rather than waiting for about 10 months and issuing a 22- or 23-cent stamp, Bradford says But an aide for Congressman Jim Weaver says the Postal Service should “simply tighten their belt" rather than postal patrons’. The Postal Rate Commission evidently felt the same, rejecting three formal requests this year for an increase to 20 cents Two minutes after the increase was filed Wednesday, a legal challenge was filed in the U S. Court of Appeals by the National Association of Greeting Card Publishers Other groups are also expected to challenge the new rate The increase is discriminatory because it applies to some types of mail while other rates are lowered or left untouched, says NAGCP head Norman Halladay But Bradford says any challenge probably won't get far because the 1971 Reorganization Act provides for a Postal Service veto Financially, the Postal Service is on shaky ground The Postal Service reports it has lost almost $126 million in five months since the rate was upped to 18 cents Without the price hike, "the Postal Service would have incurred continuing and dangerously high operating losses for at least another year,” says Postal Service board chairer Robert Hardesty A two-cent increase means about $1 billion more per year for the Postal Service, according to Bradford THE LAND OF THE FREE Graphic by Max DeRungs
