Oregon daily emerald., May 25, 1982, Image 1

Tuesday, May 25, 1982
Eugana, Oragon
Oregon daily
Voluma 83
Numbar 159
emerald
/
About a month ago, C J Balfe won a close election for the ASUO presidency. Today, Balfe takes
over University student government. His professional interest in communication will shape his
C.J. Bciife
With only first impressions and campaign
rhetoric to go on, Balfe's supporters label him
"one of us,” while his critics might consider him
"one of them."
But on closer examination, Balfe is not so
easily labeled
Evidently, Balfe is successful as a politician
But behind this image, Balfe has ideas that seem
both harmonious and contradictory with his role
as ASUO president
Balfe says he first realized that he wanted to
be ASUO president during his freshman year,
when he worked as campaign manager for then
ASUO Pres Dave Eaton
"During my freshmen year I decided to give it
a shot, and I made it my long-term goal," he says
In high school, Balfe worked in student
government, and that sparked his interest in
politics But Balfe says his mother convinced him
of the importance of extracurricular involvement
"My mother has always had a tremendous
influence on me I have masses of respect for
her, " Balfe says
When Balfe realized he wanted to be ASUO
president, he developed a careful strategy
"I wanted to find out how the job worked first,
to see if I really wanted it Then I decided to dig in,
and go for the top one "
Working with both Dave Eaton and Rich
Wilkins, this year’s ASUO president, Balfe says he
examined the strengths and weakness of the two
and developed his own philosophy
"Dave was much more of an administrator
and manager That's my home base too.”
A psychology major, he calls himself a "social"
person and prides himself on his "open ear.”
"I like to deal with people and to enhance on
their ideas instead of going on just my own "
After working in the personnel field for a few
years, Balfe eventually wants to be a psychologist
His interest in communication will influence the
way he operates as ASUO president next year, he
says.
Discussion and communication will be vital to
his administration, Balfe says.
"My vice presidents will know a lot more in
many areas than I do,” he says. "I would be a fool
not to listen them and make the decisions on my
own But it’s my knowledge of the system as a
whole that will come through for us."
While most of Balfe's decisions apparently
will be made with the help of his staff, he says all
suggestions from students will be valuable Balfe
says his mind is easily changed by convincing
arguments
"I'm so wishy-washy. Personally, I like to
listen to what everybody has to say. This office
next year will be an advocate of all students and
all students' causes."
Balfe says he believes it is not his job to tell
people what to think. His job is to inform people on
the issues of higher education, and people can
decide for themselves, he says.
Living in a fraternity has also helped him
develop his attitudes toward administration and
leadership, Balfe says.
“The Greeks consolidate their efforts and
they work together," he says “By doing this, they
benefit themselves and the University as a whole,
and this can be seen by their contributions to the
campus."
A desire to change things has also encour
aged his political drive, he says.
Balfe does not like to label himself strictly
liberal or conservative, but he says "most of the
people running this world are conservative ”
“We're students, and students have a liberal
tendency and a drive to change the system," he
says
For this reason, Balfe says he wants to be a
representative of students’ sentiment.
“I want to help influence that change.”
administration. Balfe even admits
that there may be vice presidents
in Suite Four that know more about
areas of the University than he does
Story by Mike Anderson, Photo by Bob Baker
ASUO changes officers, posts still vacant
By Dane Claussen
Ot th* £m*rmk)
Although only three vice presidents
have been hired, leaving many positions
unfilled, and the Elections Court wasn't
held until Monday night, new ASUO of
ficers led by ASUO Pres. CJ Balfe took
office today.
The changeover took place with little
pomp and circumstance, and former
ASUO Pres. Rich Wilkins and John
Stewart, former vice president for state
and public affairs, began moving out
several days ago.
The only noticable events signaling the
change, save the new faces, is the rear
rangement of offices within Suite Four,
which Balfe and helpers did Monday
night. The new arrangement, apparently
viewed as more workable for Balfe's
staff, includes moving the president s
office from the south corner to the more
visible west corner of Suite Four.
Alan Contreras, former ASUO vice
president of program administration, will
stay on this summer as both a temporary
ASUO executive vice president and sub
stitute ASUO vice president for adminis
tration and finance
David Gibson, the new vice president
for administration and finance, will be
working in Alaska
Gibson says there are three items al
ready on his agenda for his first week in
office however and that he is "looking
forward to it (his new post).”
Of the Inicidental Fee Committee, of
which Gibson was a member until Mon
day, he says, “It's been a long process.
I’m looking forward to sitting at the other
end of the table.”
Ann Portal, the new vice president for
state and public affairs, will be working
as an intern at the Salem Statesman
Journal this summer but plans to put in
two days a week at the ASUO office.
"I think C.J.'s committed to getting
something done before the year’s over,"
she says. “Right now, we re just feeling
our way, trying to learn the job and get to
know people.”
The 1981-82 ASUO officers have mixed
reactions about leaving office.
“There's things about the job I’ll miss.
There's things I won't miss,” Wilkins
says.
The year has been a difficult one for
Wilkins and staff, and for the University,
and next year will be similar, Wilkins
says But Balfe's appointees "look like
an excellent staff,” he adds.
"I feel like I've done my time,”
Contreras says about his three-year in
volvement in various areas of student
government.
“I've enjoyed it. But there's other
things to do,” he adds, citing the fact that
as a first-year law student this fall, he will
be concentrating more on studies.
Stewart, Wilkins’ vice president for
state and public affairs, says "I had a
really good year. I feel really good about
the new government coming in.".
Balfe has appointed some “good peo
ple," Stewart says, adding that "I hope
that the ASUO will continue to draw more
■ ■ ■ ■ . . ■ ■ ■ 1 1 1 ■■
students in from all areas of campus.”
Such conferences have a “positive
effect on our public relations" and cause
the University to be respected at colleges
on the West Coast.
Gus Palmitessa, former ASUO exeuc
tive vice president, will stay on this sum
mer as a “student defender” for the
Office of Student Advocacy.
Kathy Stebner, Wilkins' vice president
for University and academic affairs,
graduated at the end of winter term and
was not replaced.
Hanna Hoiborn Gray, the first
woman to serve as chief executive
officer of a major American coeduca
tional institution of higher learning,
wilt speak at the University’s spring
commencement June 13.
Gray became president of the
University of Chicago in July 1978
after serving as provost and then act
ing president of Yale University. Prior
to that, she was dean of the College of
Arts and Sciences at Northwestern
University
Gray will speak on The Real World
and Other Academic Problems” at the
commencement exercises, which
begin at 2:30 p.m at Hayward Field
and are open to the public* jf it rains,
ceremonies will be held at McArthur
Court.
A historian with special interests in
the history of humanism, political and
historical thought, Gray taught history
at the University of Chicago from 19St
to 1972 and is again a professor in the
university's history department