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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1982)
State Board: keep looking for a chancellor Who should the State Board of Higher Education choose Friday as the new chancellor of the State System of Higher Education? a. the president of a small college in Michigan, who has never been head of a university or a university system b. the commissioner of higher education in Indiana, who has never been a college or univer sity president and has only managed budgets under $2 million c. the president of the University of New Mexico, who has been an administrator at four western universities, but has never been a professor In good faith, the answer is none of the above. The three remaining finalists (from an original group of five) all are capable administrators, all have strengths to offer the state s colleges and universities, and all enthusiastically praised Oregon's higher education system But Oregon deserves better Even through years of slim budgets, Oregon's higher education system refuses to say "die” and continues to receive national recognition for its universities and research programs The salary offered the candidates is low (especially con sidering the $82,500 that helped lure one can didate away), but the chancellor position is still a plum to university administrators who want to continue their career as the guiding hand of a potentially excellent group of institutions. Of the three finalists, Bud Davis, president of the University of New Mexico, is the best-qualified Davis is a reasonable, easy-going, affable admin istrator who appears more likely to resolve con flicts through common sense than ultimatums. But Davis emerged from his doctorate work at the University of Colorado as alumni director, went on to become head football coach and dean of men at Colorado, moved to the University of Wyoming as an assistant to the president, and became president of Idaho State University, before taking his present position Davis has ample administrative credentials to be chancellor — of a smaller system He lacks the teaching background that might give him a finer apprecia tion of higher education's foundation of academic inquiry and scholarly research. Davis also would preserve the status quo of the State Board of Higher Education at a time when it needs to set a new course After numerous budget cuts, the board is like a grove of fir trees: it whispers and sighs a lot. Davis, who has super ficial suggestions for changing the board and the state system’s direction, could become another sapling. George Weathersby, Indiana’s 39-year-old higher education commissioner, was like a breath of fresh air during interviews. Weathersby wants the system to become more efficient, more re sponsive, and more in tune with academic trends. However, in his effort to nudge the system toward better serving its “constituents,” he seems to downplay one very large group — students. Weathersby talks about time management and streamlining procedures when he should talk about academic programs and admissions standards. The final candidate, Pres. George Rainsford of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, simply lacks the experience to cope with a system the size of Oregon’s. The state board should reopen its search. More than 130 educators applied for or were nominated for the position; the search committee should review those applications. It’s time for a chancellor who can take hold of Oregon’s slipping college and university system in a manner that doesn't try to restore it to some past level of service, but pushes it toward a revamped, more responsive role. Surely the state deserves such a chancellor. ' TOO HOO - IS ANVBODY HOME? WE ARE UNARMED AMERICAN ApviSEKS, COME TO TEACM YOU how To build little bridges and stuep yoo woo — i alsot^ink twis is craw ' letters Errors On Feb 10, an article on Crater Lake appeared in which I. and the author, was totally misrepresented The author subsequently submitted a letter to the editor explaining the er rors, but it has curiously not yet appeared Despite several at tempts, I have received no re sponse or explanation from your staff I am greatly an gered by the fact that I have to bear the brunt of your in eptitude I was approached a few days prior to the appearance of the article by the author, who asked me to give a "quick comment on Crater Lake.” I was misled to believe that she was writing a paper on the subject, and I was never, in any way , informed that she was writing for the Emerald Had I known, I would not have wasted a breath on your ridiculous publication. Your "editors" botched an article that originally balanced both positive and negative aspects of Crater Lake into a piece that made the entire ex perience sound less than agreeable. They then had the audacity to attribute the auth or's feelings and conclusions to my name, and effectively cen tered a warped article upon my single comment I am appalled at the depth of your desperation for bogus printed matter Contrary to what your "editors" would like to think, the Oregon Dally Emerald summer was full of an abun dance of joys: clean air, vast and serene beauty, refreshing solitude, and lasting relation ships that go far beyond your infantile comprehension The good far outweighed the bad, and I trusted the author to treat my comment as such She did but your editors” obviously did not want to print the truth Contrary to what you appar ently believe, your disregard for your own credibility does not give you the right to misinform, misquote, and misrepresent someone who knows better You did both the author and myself a grave injustice by projecting your own preference for cheap shots onto us I will refrain from suggesting that you adhere to basic jour nalistic standards because you obviously don't care. I will, however, remind you that a few of us still recognize truth, and will defend our reputations when tampered with. Pamela M. Pine English Shut up I would like to thank Matt Meyer for sharing with us his personal concerns regarding the decline of western civiliza tion in his "review” of the movie "Making Love"(Emerald, Feb 17). However, if I were to go to church, only to find the minister reviewing the latest Burt Reyn olds movie, I'd be disappointed. My disappointment is only slightly less when I pick up the movie review and get instead a sermon. In either case my response is the same: Oh, (yawn) shut up. Mike Doughton Law Balanced view This is in regard to the Crater Lake story which I wrote and someone on the staff edited My intention was to give a balanced view of what working at Crater Lake is really like — the highs and lows of working with a small tightknit group in the beautiful setting of the park. Having worked at Crater Lake myself, I want to say it can be a hell of a lot of fun. You make a lot of close friends and share a lot of inside jokes. Sure, I told about the pressures from man agement, but I also said that was due to trying to earn a year’s profit in a three-month season — which is enough to strain , anyone’s temperament. The way the story was edited, however, made it sound like a total indictment against Can teen and the Lake’s environ ment. Also, some of the quotes attributed to Pam Pine were simply untrue. I believe the story was unfair to Canteen Company, to Pam Pine, and to myself for earning a byline for a story which, it its final form, wasn't mine at all. Monica Harrington senior, journalism Majority? Last Wednesday I attended a State Legislature session con cerning the higher education budget cuts As I became in tune with the various discus sions going on between the senators and representatives that were present, it was very obvious that only a minority of them were thoroughly knowledgeable on the educa tion institutions that were being discussed. These few people who formed this minority ap peared to be quite informative and alert (it's interested to note that the only women represen tative present seemed to be the most on top of things). The majority of them appeared over-weight, sleepily slouched back in their chairs, and a cof fee cup desperately clenched in one hand. Is it really these people who are responsible for deciding on higher education cuts? A reality check says yes It seems we should start being conscientiously aware of how these decisions are being made Taking it from a wholistic point of view, it seems that only a healthy body can produce a healthy mind, and a healthy mind can only produce healthy responsible decisions for the good of the people How can an overweight, fatigued person make a clear, well thought out decision? Can a human being who cannot take physical re sponsibility for his own body actually take full mental re sponsibly for decisions that affects the future education of everyone of us? Rich Wilkins, ASUO pre sident, has taken the concern and responsibility to distribute addresses of senators and representatives around cam pus. I urge you to write!! The legislatures who determine the extent of the cuts are influenced by letters from residents in their districts. Infact, many legisla tues keep a running tally of let ters they receive on either side of an issue to help determine their vote. So I urge you once again to write and give them your point of view to think about ..or they will have only thier own point of view to rely on. Brenda Shea letters policy The Emerald will accept and attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on issues, ideas and topics of interest to the University community The letters must be limited to 250 words, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in to The Emerald offices, EMU 300 The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length, style or content. Pub lication is dependent upon space available. Page 3
