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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1982)
Thursday, March 11, 1982 Eugana, Oragon Oregon daily Volume 83 Number 116 emerald Photo by Bob Baker Petaling away Jupiter effect or no Jupiter effect, this lone cyclist pedaled down blossom-covered bikepeths near the University dorms, Wednesday. With the potential doomsday behind it. Spring is working toward an early appearance. But the U.S. Weather Service is predicting rain for the next few days. Faculty, Olum debate ‘leave’ By Debbie Howiett Of the Em«r»U University Pres Paul Olum told University Assembly members Wednesday that pursuing the idea of an ‘educational leave" for faculty members as a means to meet the $1 4 million budget cut, "is a mistake.” Olum said that he had been convinced through many discus sions and communications that the concept of an “educational leave” would not work because, among other reasons, there are misconceptions that the leave is more of a paid vacation than a “drastic” measure The “educational leave” concept was based on a plan currently in use at the University of Michigan Olum adapted the idea of a sabbatical-iike ieave for one year, with half-pay, but with more freedom of how that year was to be spent. One faculty member criticized the plan as being "a plum dangled in the faculty's face” to make salary decreases more palatable At the onset of Olum’s "State of the Budget” talk, he asked that all assembly members speak their minds but respect other members' positions. "It is terribly important that we respect each other’s views,” Olum said, “but speak strongly if you wish " Olum went on to elaborate on other measures under con sideration to meet the $1.4 million deficit. Olum said he has received 34 letters since last week's con vocation, some suggesting that the University be "shut-down” for a period that would erase the deficit. Olum said that some of the letters asked that a "symbolic" stance be taken. “There is a reasonably strong feeling, however, that at some point we ought to do something, a symbolic action, some kind of meeting, some kind of public statement,” Olum said. Pointing to suggestions of cutting programs, Olum reminded the assembly that $304,000 still remains to be cut from programs even before the $1 4 million cut is considered Olum added that the savings from closing one of the four largest professionals schools would realize only $700,000 to $900,000 In other assembly action, the members, after much debate, defeated a motion to boot the ROTC program from the University, 74-40 Final(ly), some respect “Dead week” may become even quieter since the Universi ty Assembly met and approved a motion limiting final exams to only the regularly scheduled time slots printed in the Univer sity course booklet. The motion prohibits giving any test worth more than 20 percent of the course grade during the week prior to finals. It also states that during this time. “no final examinations will be given under any guise ’’ Take home finals and class projects are allowed under the new guidelines, if those assign ments are specified in a course syllabus during the first two weeks of class The motion does allow make up tests to be given during dead week University hinders change, planners say By Ann Portal Of (/>• Emarakf A committee charged with long-range planning by University Pres Paul Olum in October came to a conclusion at its fourth meeting Wednesday: the structure of the University is not well-suited to change That drawback may impede any plan ning the committee does, members said, but they decided to push ahead by choosing "reasonably non-trivial propo sals'" from planning documents submit ted by each department and school last fall. The committee will discuss from six to eight of those proposals at its meeting next week, searching for ways to meet the requests. Committee members have spent several meetings debating how to handle the planning documents that Olum requested at his October inauguration A synopsis of the planning documents was submitted to the committee last week Comments range from radical ideas such as restructuring the entire academic function of the University (suggested by the health, physical education and recreation college) to relatively conventional proposals, such as requesting an additional faculty member for the germanic languages department. But committee members were unsure how to determine the shape the Univer sity should assume in the next few years — using quality, students' needs and changes in academic disciplines as cri teria. "I'm now convinced that this Universi ty is just not very well set up for innova tion,” said mathematics Prof Charles Curtis. "I have very serious questions if the present structure is capable of dealing with suggestions that cut across several departments,” as most departments’ proposals do, he said. Most attempted cooperation between departments is unsuccessful, committee members agreed. Area studies programs have had problems “year after year,” struggling because there is no mechan ism to get them going, said committee chairer Bob Albrecht, vice provost for academic affairs. Committee members discussed departments' fears that they will “lose something” — such as money — through cooperation. Innovation requires the administration to take risks and provide funding, Curtis said Restructured or new programs need money, which is “extremely difficult when you're just barely surviving to begin with," agreed Robert Gilberts, education college dean. Perhaps the committee should limit its involvement to certain broad areas, Gil berts suggested. Gilberts suggested presenting worka ble ideas to the faculty, and suggesting the conditions necessary to nurture those ideas. Perhaps the committee can suggest approaches, organization and people to contact to discuss the pro gram's merit, Gilberts said. “I personally don’t feel overly well qualified to make those kinds of judgements, based on the data I have," he said. .... .
