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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 1982)
Oregon daily emerald Tuesday, August 10, 1982 Eugene, Oregon Volume 84, Number 15 State work-study idea needs $5.7 million Students to work with private sector By Debbie Howlett Of (h* Emaratd The Oregon State Scholarship Com mission is trying to parlay the Reagan Administration's concept of "New Federalism" into state-funded sources of financial aid The commission has submitted to the state legislature as a part of its budget for 1983-85 a proposal that would appro priate more than $5 7 million for a state/private industry program similar to the federal work-study program Although the state work-study propo sal would not replace the federal pro gram, commission officials say it could supply more financial aid for Oregon students The program will work in much the same manner as the federal work-study program with the exception that students will work for private business The state will pay half the students' salary with the business picking up the tab tor the other half Lee says he would like to see the program apply to "all students” and that it is a "natural" for students in the professional schools Business also benefits because they get the employees for half-price, he adds "We re not talking about students go ing into executive positions,” Lee says, adding that at the same time the students wouldn't be go-fers There are a few kinks, Lee admits, the biggest of which is the timing of the request “Many facets make it attractive. The legislature might say that it is a wonderful idea but they don't have the money. Progress of any size is going to cost. I wouldn't count it out,” Lee says There have also been charges that the program will displace "regular” em ployees "We don't want that to happen,” Lee says. “I'm sure labor folks don't.” But for all the answers Lee has, he says very few people have had any questions, and there has been "no negative feed back" at all "We have had input from a number of sources — we ran it up the flagpole and saw who saluted," Lee says. Salutes have come from several sources contacted at the University, although some people, like Carol Ri chard, associate director of financial aid, have voiced problems "We have no objections to the concept at all," Richard says But, "there are a few problems with the internal work ings," she says "There is a question about profit-mak ing businesses using students,” Richard says, without elaborating further "I certainly think it’s a good idea we get as many financial assistance pro grams as possible," she adds. University Provost, Richard Hill, echoes Richard's approval, qualifying it by saying that he has not seen the report yet "Any increase in resources available to students is probably a good thing,” Hill says For the request to be approved, Lee Photo by Mark Pynes Jeff Lee, executive director of the Oregon State Scholarship Commission, is proposing a new, state funded work-study program. says there is a definite need for the support and backing of higher education and business officials. According to Ri chard, one of Lee's associates, Ruth Burns has been surveying financial aid offices at several institutions for input. But the toughest battle, as Lee sees it, will come in the legislature, where money is scarce. The hope for approval lies in the Legislature's attitude that Oregon business needs help — and students could provide some of that help. 1 Commission asks for GSL contingency plan The Oregon State Scholarship Com mission has penned a request to the Legislature which would provide a contingency plan for Guaranteed Student Loans. The proposal asks that in the event of a "crisis," a pool of money — generated from revenue bonds — could be made available to students in Oregon's post secondary schools, says Jeff Lee, ex ecutive director of the OSSC. The request is likely to encounter quite few hurdles including a flounder ing bond market, administrators at schools and the state Legislature, Lee says. "It isn't so good these days," Lee says of the bond market. However, according to Lee, the request for the GSL back-up stands a better chance of legislative approval than the employment program because the funding would be generated through bond sales. There have been some questions, mostly from student interest groups, such as the Oregon Student Lobby about the wording as well as the timing of the request. Lee agrees, the request has been revised several times and he stresses that now isn’t necessarily the best time to ask the legislature to approve fund ing of any new programs However, most groups, including the commission welcome any additional assistance for students. But, while the legislators might view the reserve as a nicety, Lee views it as necessity. "I’d hate to sit on my thumbs and watch students drop out of school because they can't afford it,” Lee says. Lane officials see academia’s practical side By Joan Nyland Of the Emerald lowing their horn” and praising their research, member of the University administration guided nearly 25 Lane County officials on a campus tour and luncheon next week As the leaders toured and dined, University speakers stressed the prac tical uses and the financing of their theoretical research. •‘Excellent and practical” is what county commissioner Jerry Rust called the tour. University Pres Paul Olum greeted the group with grave remarks about the fin ancial straits of the University and the University's neglect of public relations with the community since the days of Sputnik and plentiful funding for higher education “We stand on the edge of disaster — desperately beyond the end of our rope,” said Olum. He reiterated his view that more budget tightening would mean cutting programs "So far we’re doing it successfully” — “B keeping the academic quality high, Olum said. Science departments are keeping faculty so far, Olum said. Professors in the various science departments have refused jobs from such facilities as Har vard and the California Institue of Tech nology. One such professor who returned here from Harvard and Yale, geology head Harve Waff, impressed the group with his figures on the potential for geo-thermal power in Oregon — a rough estimate of about 15 percent of the U S potential “It could turn Oregon upside-down economically," Waff said of the prosper ity potential Oregon and even Lane County has in geo-thermal power aff showed off his unique pressure cooker for rocks from deep in the earth which simulates the sort of pressure that creates volcanic lavea. He said that he has tried to get funds from BPA in the past and is approaching the Northwest Power Planning Commission this week about his research. So far, "they haven’t made a commitment to go geo-thermal,” Waff said. If Waff is right, "all we have to do is kick back,” and watch the revenue come in, said Eugene City Manager Mike Williams, Robert Gilberts, dean of the education school, started the presentations with a discussion of the uniqueness and com petitiveness of the educational programs here. The tour then moved to the Institute of Chemical Physics where Bernd Cra semann explained the success story of the Institute He also stressed the practicality of the uses of research — particularly laser technology and military uses. The scientific explanations were "over my head” said Ed Cooper, one of the tour members representing Lane Community College, but "it gives you a surface feeling great things are going on." Peter von Hippel, head of the Chemistry department, standing in front of a model of part of a DNA molecule, struggled to explain “how things happen at the molecular level. " "It makes getting back to budget problems seem simple," said Judy Mo seley of Eugene school district 4-J, after seeing the models of protein and DNA in the lab. "I hope the teachers at LCC aren’t tied down so much looking for money,” said Jim Pitney a member of the LCC Board after listening to the four professors discuss their research. “They made an effort not to be esoter ic,” Moseley said of the researchers. Moseley said the tour had shown her how advanced we are in research but how behind we are in political savvy. Luncheon speakers English professor Barbara Mossberg and graduate school dean Richard Hersh discussed what Olum called the "spirit and practicality" of the University. Mossberg gave a short version of her speech on the humanities. She stressed that humanities were "practical” if one defined practical as "wise and useful.” l#er stress was on the long-range use of the humanities in fulfilling an individual - something technology or a "9 to 5" job cannot do. Richard Hersh stressed the unique ness of the research capacities of this Univesity in this state.
