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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1983)
Primary analysis It's the time of year to start speculating on student elections. From an analysis of who is running for what, some interesting conclusions can be drawn. The most obvious change from last year is the number of students vying for the top office, ASUO president. Last year, six candidates of various backgrounds campaigned for the post. This year only two hats are in the ring — David Gibson, who is the ASUO vice president for administration and finance, and Mary Hotchkiss, who chairs the EMU budget committee. Gibson is a senior in accounting, while Hotchkiss is a senior majoring in English and French. The reasons for not running are good. Stipends have decreased, there are questions about the ability of student government to make changes and there is an impression that only those with direct experience in the current student government have a chance at being elected. Likewise, not many are vying for positions on IFC, with more than a $2 million fee budget to dispense, the most powerful student committee on campus. This year 18 people are running for seven positions, compared to 35 who ran last year There are two positions open on the Student University Affairs Board and most of the other 14 members are running unchallenged. Perhaps students realize the large amount of work these groups must do — for little finanical or meritorial compensa tion The IFC decreased their own stipend from $100 to $80 per month for members and $175 to $125 for the chairer. The SUAB members will take a $5 per month cut in stipends — down to $35. Yet there is a bigger and more lamentable reason for not running for important student offices. Student government at the University increasingly has been polarized into two groups: The Greeks and Students for a Progressive Agenda Many potential candidates fear that if they lack the endorsement of either of these two groups, they don’t stand a chance of being elected, no matter how good their ideas are or how hard they campaign. This has been the case in the past three presidential elections. Contributing to that problem is what may be called the “baton syndrome" — the presidency is handed to the chosen successor of the current head officer. Witness C.J. Balfe succeeding Rich Wilkins who in turn succeeded Dave Eaton Instead of running for the traditional, prominent ASUO offices, students appear to be seeking spots on specialized boards. Eleven students are up for nine seats on the board of the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, compared to five last year. Five students are running for one seat on the Emerald s board of directors, compared to none last year There is room for more diverse people on all the com mittees and programs of the ASUO. It is regretful that no minority student has chosen to run for the ASUO Executive presidency or many of the other offices. Neither the fraternity system nor SPA should mandate who fills those positions. With a budget of more than $60,000 under the control of the ASUO president, with the entire student fee budget and the responsibility of representing student opinion on ihe University Senate and Assembly under control of elected students, these positions are extremely important It’s unfortunate that students are discouraged from running for these offices — as this year's ballot reflects. I letters Dog lover This letter is in response to one by T Lewis, who asserts that true dog lovers should leave their pets at home when they come to campus I love my dog. and it is for this reason that I do bring her to school It is true, as Lewis states, that there are some lonely, hungry or otherwise mistreated dogs on campus Certainly dogs should not be left to roam free if they are a nuisance to others But these facts do not condemn those conscientious dog owners who love and care for their animals My dog is happiest when she is with me, roaming and playing in the sun She even comes to class with me But when cir cumstances do not permit, I have no hesitation in tying her to a post tor a while She Knows I will return, and is content to stretch out on her side for a nap until then Lewis. I share your concern for dogs poorly trained or cared for But as a dedicated dog owner, I resent your pretentious plea for me to leave my dog at home She liKes to go to school Jason Rudorman junior, biology NOW, WHO 6E1S THE COQ AU VIN, AND WHO GETS THE CHICKEN CAOCIATORE ?' I letters No Hungarians I was delighted to hear that a ‘‘Festival of East European Peoples" would take place on campus. But I was surprised and disappointed to find that though the festival is billed as “A series of public events concerning the cultures of Eastern Europe," evidently the cultures of Poland and of Hungary would be omitted There was no mention of them in the advertisement Surely then, the festival can be termed only a festival of some of the East European cul tures, since to omit Poland and Hungary is to omit two cultures that have close ties to the West and that have been a profound influence on "Western Cul ture.” In light of this omission.it is definitely misleading for the festival's promotional material to imply that all East Eoropean cultures will be represented I hope that, during the festival, some mention will be made of these cultures that do not appear on the program or in the festival D. Garboczi Interested At the beginning of Winter term I moved into a house with some friends only to find it infested with tiny black ants The landlord ‘gnorad our pleas for an exterminator Unsure of our legal rights, we called the Oregon Student Public Interest Group s Consumer Information Hotline They advised us to pick up an OSPIRG Renter's Handbook The information from this publication enabled us to follow proper legal channels to the elimination of our problems The many services OSPIRG provides are geared specifically to the needs of students OSPIRG presently operates a Consumer Information Hotline and provides copies of qualita tive consumer surveys on local banking services, bicycle repair, and auto servicing OSPIRG has publications on specific consumer rights and supports the Citizens Utilities Board, a public representative against questionable utility rate hikes OSPIRG has done much to support University students but now asks a little in return. On April 13th and 14th on campus a poll will take place OSPIRG has a referendum on the ballot asking for an incidental fees increase of three dollars a year per student That's one dollar a term, per student of support for OSPIRG What will one dollar buy today? 1.818 Monster Cookies, 1 538 Henry's from Taylors, or an OSPIRG and all of its services for a term Accompanying the refer endum is a constitutional amendment that calls for a referendum in two years This means that if OSPIRG fails to satisfy students they can revoke OSPIRG's funding and place the burden of providing its worth on OSPIRG Vote yes for OSPIRG on April 13th and 14th; then see what student advocacy can do tor you Douglas Emmerich senior, recreation and park management Actually With so much student money used to maintain the Emerald shouldn't we be entitled to accuracy? I’d just like to read about events as they actually occured Your story “Women Pan por nography" is a case in point. I attended the workshop and I couldn't beiieve the errors in your story allegedly describing the event First: You reported "Skeptical audience members questioned Taylor on the limits of censor ship. ‘First it’s Playboy, and next it will be "War and Peace” said a workshop participant.’ ” You failed to mention the speaker had asked the audience to give examples of often used statements defending pornography. That quote was mine, but I and other people at the start of the work shop were merely playing the role of devil’s advocates. I was not "skeptical" since I was in agreement with the speaker. Second: Since you reported on it, would you please inform me as to what the "caustic theory" is? Is it related to in gestion of acid products? The speaker did talk about the myth of the “catharsis theory" which speculates that the more you see something the less you want to do it. For example, the more you see people eating food the less you want to eat or the more you view pornography the less you will desire deviant acts. By the way, if what the Emerald was referring to was the "catharsis theory" (everyone's entitled to a mistake) it wasn’t, as was alleged, a doctrine supported by the Supreme Court (the court actually wanted to crackdown on pornography in 1973 by allowing local communities more control over banning it). The discredited, yet widely believed, "catharsis the. ry" was supported by the also discredited 1970 Presidential Report on Pornography. Michael Cross senior, political science Oregon daily m m emerald The Oregon Deny Erne raw is published Monday through Friday eacepl during e*am week and vacations, by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co , at the University ol Oregon. Eugene. 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