Federal aid cutbacks risk refugees’ health
The health of hundreds of
East Asian refugees living in
the Eugene-Springfield area
could be in jeopardy If Con
gress cuts them off from
social assistance programs,
says Steve Schneider, an
aide to Rep Jim Weaver, D
Ore
Putting an end to the wel
fare, food stamp and medical
care programs for approx
imately 900 refugees locally
could result in a health
hazard, Schneider says
“Refugees have tenden
cies to bring in intestinal
parasites,” Schneider says
"If medical aid is stopped,
there is a possibility that an
epidemic will break out "
In Lane County, more
cases of tuberculosis are be
ing detected among
refugees, says Sharon Land
siedel, a registered nurse for
the county health depart
ment who screens refugees
for communicable diseases
"We've been re-screening
for tuberculosis since mid
August.” Landsiedel says
"And now almost all of the
tests are turning out posi
tive " A positive test confirms
the presence of tuberculosis
“We re in a situation now
where we will have the funds
to test for TB, but the
refugees will not have the
money for treatment," Land
siedel says
Now the major concern is
to provide the refugees with
food and jobs, Landsiedel
says. “A lot of these people
have had to live with TB in
their homelands, but how
lonq can they live without
food7’’
Refugees receive assis
tance through the Aid to
Dependent Children pro
gram, says Fred Zwick, an
Adult and Family Services
Center counselor
“Right now refugees can
get funding through ADC
solely because they have
refugee status," he says
“There doesn’t have to be a
dependent living in the hou
sehold, like other cases “
Refugees also depend on
sponsorship programs to
provide them with food and
shelter, but there won’t be
enough sponsors if funds are
cut. Zwick says
Photo by Chris Courtier
Student dorm board
budgets big bucks
By VANESSA KOKESH
Of the Emerald
The University Residence Hall
Governance Committee has
come a long way in its 10-year
existence, says office manager
Sharon Duff
Now in control of a $23,000
budget, this "top governing
body" of dormitory residents
has evolved from an obscure
advisory committee to an im
portant budgeting and
policy-making body, Duff says
Formed to let students help
make housing decisions, the
committee has worked to liber
alize the alcohol policy, provide
refrigerator rentals to residents
and set up the current standard
boards system
Before 1980, the interest
funds accrued from $50 depo
sits made by each resident were
put into a general fund super
vised by the Incidental Fee
Committee, and the residence
hall committee remained an ad
visory group
But last year, the committee s
responsibilities were expanded
to include the budgeting of the
$23,000 in interest from the
deposit money
The Oregon State Board of
Higher Education stipulated
that the deposit money be re
turned for use by the students
who made the deposits and not
put into a general operating
budget, says Dick Romm, the
housing department's repre
sentative on the committee.
The committee consists of
student representatives chosen
by the president's council from
each of five residence hall com
plexes, an ASUO executive
member, a residence hall area
director, a resident assistant
and a housing department
representative
The committee divides half of
the interest money among the
residence hall president's
councils on a per capita basis.
Students can decide how they
want to spend the money “as
long as 50 percent goes to
building and life improvements
The other 50 percent can go to
social events,'' Duff says
The committee allocates the
money for student requests for
extra funds or for the entire re
sidence hall system
Last year, the committee
bought a $10,000 van
“The van is working out great
It goes out every weekend and
sometimes during the week,"
Duff says
The committee also set up a
resource center of project files
that residents can refer to when
planning a retreat or activity
The center also is used to check
out the equipment available to
residents, such as the van,
video cassette recorders, sound
system and sports equipment.
A newsletter called "The
RHGC Commons," which tells
residents about the various
halls' activities and about com
mittee actions, also has been
started
‘You never know what
they're going to do from year to
year because they change all
their rules and procedures and
decide what they want to focus
on,” says Duff.
HALL&WEEN
SPECIAL
"^Wmm
FABRIC* TM t
at
ANDREA'S,
Be anything
you want to be...
A politician or a monster.
Yoda or Reagan.
The UO Bookstore has just about anything you will ever
want to be
Also choose from a collection or warts, cuts, gashes,
noses and make-up paints.
Custom faces will be made
starting
Friday,
Oct. 23rd.
13th & Kincaid
Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30
Sat 10:00-5:30
Textbooks 6M-3S20
General Books Mt-3510
Supplies 696 -4331