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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1982)
Oregon daily emerald Friday, October 8, 1982 Eugene. Oregon Volume 84, Number 26 Olum says 'outreach’ programs are safe Climbing enrollment spurs initial decision By Ann Portal CM th* Emerald Despite a 7 6 percent enrollment drop, the Univer sity should be able to save four "outreach” programs which have been in limbo since June, University Pres Paul Olum announced Thursday Enrollment — based on students who have paid tuition — is "reasonably" close to the level anticipated by Chancellor Bud Davis, and continues to improve daily, he said Enrollment is already at a high enough level to "assume" the outreach programs are safe, although a final decision has not yet been made, said Olum. appearing at his first press conference of the year The four programs identified as the targets of a $500,000 special session budget cut included Univer sity radio station KWAX. the Bureau of Governmental Research, the Labor Education and Research Center and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Meanwhile, enrollment is "down a little more than we thought, but not terribly," Olum said Students are both enrolling and paying fees later than usual this year, he said, although the deadline for paying fees without a fine has passed Students who paid tuition Thursday were fined $20. The penalty increases $2 daily, up to a maximum of $50 By Wednesday afternoon, 14.963 students had paid tuition and fees, compared to 16,202 students at the same time last year — a 7 6 percent decrease University officials had forecast a 6 percen* decline Olum was not surprised that the University showed a signincantly larger drop in enrollment than Portland State University, which reported only a 2 3 percent decline at the end of the first week of classes Urban universities attract students who can live at home to economize, he said Residence schools like the University are bound to suffer more in a recession, he said To try to improve enrollment, Olum confirmed that the University will tje making a major effort" to recruit students in the near future The focus of the recruiting drive will be informing potential students about the academic programs available at the University, he said Other recruiting strategies should be announced within a month, he said Olum also announced the formation of a planning committee to oversee $3 million given to the University to support women s studies The endowment, the largest single gift in the University's history, was given by the late William Harris in honor of his wife, feminist writer Jane Grant, who died in 1972 Sociology professor Joan Acker has been ap pointed director of the Center for the Study of Women in Society. Olum said Detailed research activities of the center will be released after the Harris will has been probated, he said "It should be a magnificent program once it gets underway," he said E merald Photo University Pres. Paul Olum said current enrollment is probably sufficient to continue University funding of four outreach' programs threatened by budget cuts. Tylenol poisonings linked to extortion CHICAGO (AP) — Authorities are investigating an alleged $1 million extortion plot in connection with seven Chicago area deaths from cyanide-laced Extra-Strength Tylenol, published reports said Friday. The Chicago Sun-Times said the FBI was investigating a man who allegedly mailed a letter to the manufacturers of Tylenol demanding $1 million and implying that more poi sonings might occur if the ransom was not paid The newspaper reported that unidentified sources said the man was a Chicago businessman and former successful stock broker who had suffered financial "reverses " The letter was reportedly mailed to Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, N.J., but it was not disclosed if it was mailed before seven people died after taking cyanide-contaminated Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules last week. The Sun-Times said the letter threatened a “repeat" of the Tylenol poisonings unless $t million was sent to a postal box at Continental Illinois National Bank & Trust Co of Chicago The Chicago Tribune reported bank officials had provided the FBI with records that an unidentified bank source said dealt with "an account that once existed at Continental." The bank also released a statement that said bank officials were directed Wednesday to turn over to the U S. Justice Department “financial records of a former customer in connection with the Tylenol case,” The letter had the word Tylenol written on the envelope and was forwarded to McNeil Consumer Products Co., the John son & Johnson subsidiary that manufactures Tylenol, the Sun-Times said. The Tribune said the letter was being "taken seriously” by the FBI A Johnson & Johnson spokesman. Lawrence Foster, said early Friday that he was unaware of the alleged extortion plot but added that the company had agreed to cooperate with the FBI should any such situation arise. “The procedure was that it we got anything, it would go directly to the FBI," Foster said. Illinois Attorney General Tyrone Fahner, reached at home Friday, said he would have "no comment" on the alleged extortion plot Earlier on Thursday, top authorities In litinois said there was no apparent connection between the April cyanide death of a Philadelphia man and seven deaths from cyanide contaminated Tylenol in the Chicago area Measure 3 attracts criticism from higher education officials By Hank Trotter Of the Emerald Higher education officials predict “serious implications" for the University budget if Bal lot Measure 3, a property tax limitation initiative, is approved by Oregon voters on November 2 University Pres. Paul Olum says although the measure does not "formally" affect the University funding, there will be a "devastating second order effect " If approved, Measure 3 would reduce property taxes to 1979 levels and limit combined property taxes from all local governments to $15 per $1000 assessed value The Oregon Legislature would distribute the reduced funds among local tax ing districts. Property tax in creases would be held to two percent per year If Measure 3 passes it will "decimate everything that depends on property tax,” Olum says. “I can’t believe the state won't help bail out the com munities." Olum is afraid local school districts, cities and counties will be forced to compete with higher education for a share of the dwindling state general fund. The University receives $34 million from the state fund "The total fiscal situation under the current tax structure is serious," says Bud Davis, chancellor of the State System of Higher Education. “The bottom line is there are already inadequate funds. This (Measure 3) would make it worse,” Davis says A Legislative Revenue Com mittee evaluation of the mea sure's impact predicts a loss of $767 million statewide. In Eugene, School District 4J is predicting a loss of $9.7 mil lion if Measure 3 passes. The district receives $38 million from local property taxes annually. Vernon Smith, the district's budget officer, says approval of Measure 3 would bring a "pan ic, crisis situation" to Oregon school districts. "Every school in the state will push for new kinds of taxes,” he says. "You name it, they'll ex plore it." Smith says the Eugene dis trict, however, has no im mediate plans to ask the state for additional funds, something higher education officials are afraid will happen. "You don’t go to someone filing for bankruptcy to borrow money,” Smith says. State Rep Margie Hendrik sen, Democratic challenger for Oregon Senate District 20, says approval of Measure 3 approval would "totally tie our hands at the legislature." She calls the measure "anti democratic,” saying the provi sion requiring a two-thirds legislative approval of all tax increases would make it "poli tically impossible to raise new revenue.” According to the voters' pamphlet, the Homeowner and Renter Refund Program would be preserved but decreased by $7.5 million in 1984 because of lowered tax payments State in come taxes would increase $26 9 million in the same year because of fewer property tax deductions. Measure 3 also contains a clause repealing the state’s ob Election '82 Ballot Measures Emerald graphic ligation to back agency bonds with state property taxes in case of default by the agency. The Higher Education Facili ties and Building Program is one of nine agencies whose bonds wouldn't be backed Bill Lemman, higher educa tion’s vice-chancellor for ad ministration, says higher education has never defaulted on its bonds but the provision guaranteeing payment brings favorable interest rates. The bill’s petitioners, Oregon Taxpayers, conducted a poll showing a comfortable lead for passage of the measure With this threat, at least one of the agencies affected has rushed to finalize its bond sale.
