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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1981)
daily' Emerald Vol 83. No 30 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Thursday, October 15,1981 Law center dispute heats up forum By DEBBIE HOWLETT Of Hm Emarald The debate over the neutrality of the Pacific Northwest Resource Center heated up Wednesday during an open forum, with University Pres Paul Olum responding to students' questions and accusations More than 300 students and faculty packed a law school lecture hall to voice their opinions and emotions con cerning the fate of the controversial law school program Signs proclaiming "Support academic integrity, keep Aaron Jones out of University policy" and "Propriety Holly Hummel Emotions soar as Olum meets students, faculty in open debate does not equal timber interests” set the emotional tone of the debate on whether the PNRC appears neutral in matters of public policy Olum has been accused — along with several other University administrators — of yielding to pressure from timber interest groups and state legislators who propose the PNRC be moved off campus Students at the forum were "hostile, but decently hostile," Olum said "I was a student once too I understand their feelings ." In his opening address, Olum stated "there is no fakery involved" and the problems involving University neutrality are "sticky ” He added that he has waited to make his decision until he had an opportunity to discuss with faculty and students exactly what should be done Emotions ran high during the two hour forum At one point, Olum’s voice cracked with frustration as he told the audience, "you persist in willfully dis torting what I say " Several times, the audience burst into applause in support of statements favoring an on-campus location for the PNRC Ellen Mendoza, a law student who has opposed efforts to move the PNRC. received the first round of applause when she said "We are the ones that care about that program, not Aaron. Jones ” Jones, owner of Seneca Sawmill Co. in Eugene, last year threatened to pull out a $250,000 donation to the Univer sity for a new basketball pavillion if the PNRC was not moved off campus In response to a charge that he was influenced by outside pressure, Olum said, "Of course I listen to people, but when I finally make a decision — if I havo to make it — then I will consult my own beliefs and principles " Holly Hummel, another law student who opposes the move, said she thought Olum attended the forum only for the sake of appearance "I think the decision (to relocate the PNRC) was made long ago. Hummel said Olum said he talked Wednesday morning with the National Wildlife Federation — the major source of PNRC funding — and asked if it would • be possible for the PNRC to stay on campus and take all cases, not only environmental advocacy positions They told me that they could not do that," he said After the forum, Olum said that the NWF has not decided if funding will be continued if the PNRC is moved off campus. However, the NWF is not adamantly opposed to other alternatives. Olum said. Midway through the forum, emotions reached a peak when Mendoza rose to leave, saying, “We have been trying to convince Mr. Olum for two months . I for one am tired of trying to convince him. If he doesn’t understand, that's too bad “It’s also too bad for us because we depend upon his understanding Mendoza's statement was greeted by more applause Yet for all that was said at the forum, the issue remains unresolved The question of the PNRC’s location still is in the air and Olum says he is not sure when the issue will be resolved Photos by David Corey Paul Olum Judge decides discrimination is class action PORTLAND (AP) - U S District Judge Helen Frye certified class action status Tuesday to a suit alleging that Oregon s eight public colleges and universities discriminate against women faculty members on the basis of sex "For the purposes of this ruling, the plaintiffs have made an adequate show ing that the (State Higher Education) Board heads a statewide system that practices sex discrimination," Frye said in a written opinion Portland attorney Don Willner, who represented the original 13 plaintiffs in the case, said he believes the case is the first such statewide or system-wide sex discrimination suit representing faculty women to receive class action certifica tion in the country The case was filed in April 1980 on behalf of 13 individual women faculty members from the University, Oregon State University, Portland State Univer sity, Western Oregon State College, and Oregon Health Sciences University The lawsuit alleges that the state schools discriminate against women faculty in pay, promotion, tenure, professional duties, sabbatical leave, grant-application support, administrative and adjunct appointments, salary sup port and qrievance mechanisms Continued on Page 3 Repaired campus bells resound -'«Wt The Carillonic bells that strike the time from the roof of the EMU are working again, thanks to University chemistry prof Donald Swinehart The bells, which were given to the University by the classes of 1943 and 1953, had been out of service for about three years before Swinehart decided to test his clock repair skills "I was looking for something more sophisticated — there are no bells in it,' Swinehart said The chiming mechanism turned out to be a set of brass rods struck by a hammer-like devise and electronically amplified The sound is delivered through large speakers on the roof of the EMU Swinehart said EMU officials told him several repair experts — including a representative from the manufacturer — had declared the bells unrepairable Undaunted. Swinehart and chemistry student Mark Tarka took their tools to the third floor of the EMU where the striking mechanism is located After determining how the bells worked, the repairs turned out to be only minor adjustments of the chimes them selves, which took no more than 30 min utes, Swinehart said He then went to work on the clock mechanism Investigation proved the necessary repairs were as minor as the repairs on the bells With a few free parts sent by the Photo by Brian Bubak Prof Donald Swinehart corrected the campus chimes, which actually are not bells, but a set of brass rods manufacturer, Schulmerich Electronics. Inc., the bells ring once again. Swinehart said he has been interested in clock building and repair for the last five years He recently repaired a clock in Gerlinger Hall thought to be nearly 220 years old, and in his office he keeps track of time with a grandfather's clock he built himself. University students seem to enjoy the new addition to campus atmosphere Rick Silver, an education junior, com mented that the bells were confusing at the begining of the year But now that he has figured out what they are, he says he is pleased ' For me it works out great — I have no watch.”
