I
OSPIRG’s funding
measured, supported
Student groups ideally organize and employ students in
a professional manner and work toward educating and
changing society and the University for the better.
This has been the successful mission of the Oregon Stu
dent Public Interest Group in the past and could be in the
future.
Students should vote yes on Ballot Measure No. 2 to in
crease funding for the OSPIRG for the 1983-84 year. The
measure would increase student fees by $1 per student per
term to raise more than 139,000 for OSPIRG.
However, the Emerald believes that like all student fee
funded groups on campus, OSPIRG should have to justify
their fee collection each year. For this reason students
should vote No on measure No. 3, an ASUO constitutional
amendment to put OSPIRG’s funding to a referendum test
every two years.
Throughout the 1970s, OSPIRG was an important and
well-funded group on campus. Using $1 per term from nearly
every student tn the state, they were an organized and in
fluential action group, researching such consumer and
political matters as renter’s rights, the bottle bill, and the
cost of pay telephone calls.
Then the group, through poor management and lack of
motivation, lost contact with the students, the issues, and in
short, lost enthusiasm. They have been cut for the last three
years by the IFC to the current budget of approximately
$9,400.
This year's University OSPIRG reactivated student in
terest in consumer issues. It has published studies on bank
ing, bike repair, optometrists, and second-hand clothing
stores in the Eugene area, along with operating a consumer
hotline.
A campus visit by Ralph Nader, the man who invented
the notion of PIRGs, helped increase the public’s interest in
OSPIRG.
opinion
To change their image and re-enthuse tne university,
OSPIRG has actively campaigned to inform students on their
purpose. They acquired the signatures of 3,250 students and
120 faculty members who supported their cause.
OSPIRG now has a group of 40 participating students
and more than 400 volunteers "on cards" who are willing to
work in some capacity for them.
They are now working on a Consumer Utility Board, to
provide citizen input in utility rate-hike decisions, and a
“lemon law" to protect consumers who buy new cars that
don’t work.
OSPIRG needs a show of support at the general election
to finance their reinvigorated staff.
Decisions on the research projects for next year will be
made in May, but they are considering such topics as a con
sumer survey on Eugene childcare facilities, transportation
of toxic waste in the state, and toxic chemicals found in art
supplies in all branches of education.
OSPIRG is an avowedly political group. Students need
to understand that voting yes on Ballot Measure No 2 is
voting for a $1 per term addition to their incidental fee to sup
port a group based on a philosophy of consumer advocacy
through research and political activism.
The issues taken up by OSPIRG, while student research
ed and organized, are not strictly "student” issues — they
assume the student is a citizen as well as a student
Should the University student body pass Ballot Measure
No. 2, much of the money would go to OSPIRG's general
fund, which includes money from Portland State University
and Willamette University, the other two state members of
OSPIRG.
The make-up of OSPIRG’s state board is based on the
amount of funding contributed to the state group. If the
measure passes, half of the board would be University
representatives. With the increased money OSPIRG would
appoint a professional director for the state group, among
other expenditures.
Voting for Ballot Measure No. 2 is risking 13 of your fee
next year toward making OSPIRG a viable public interest
organization — as it once was.
1
II letters
SUAB response
I must respond to the
misguided statements of
Sherri Schultz in her letter of
April 12. She writes that there
are “ineffectual student
representatives” in the ASUO
and cites the Semester Con
version vote of which the Stu
dent University Affairs Board
(SUAB) was a part of.
First, SUAB is the represen
tative body composed of 18
members elected within
Academic Constituencies.
Part of the SUAB's respon
sibility is debating and voting
in the University Senate and
General Assembly. To debate
more effectively, SUAB
members survey classes and
students within their
departments.
They also survey students in
the EMU main lobby at the In
formation and Grievance
Center (IGC). Students who
haven't been reached by these
surveys and want to voice
their opinions on matters as
important as Semester conver
sion, may contact their SUAB
representative during posted
office hours in their depart
ment, the IGC, or in Suite 3
EMU.
In the Semester Conversion
vote, SUAB members did
research how much support or
disapproval there was to the
proposal.
The only department and
school that showed over
whelming opposition to the
semester conversion was in
the department I represent Ar
chitecture & Allied Arts. Other
departments were either in
favor of the proposal or oppos
ed it with just a small majority
Not students from all depart
ments whose overwhelming
opposition to semesters as
you asserted I voted accord
ing to my department's stand
as did every other SUAB
member. We as SUAB
members voiced the options
the opinons of the student
Oregon daily . _
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Photo Editor
Sport* Editor
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AmocIate (4H*n
High** Education
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Feature*
POtttca
Studant SenrtceaiCommunity Afteir*
Oanatal Statt
Advertising Manager
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Production Manager
Controller
Harry Estave
John Mealy
Marian Green
Con Farnatd
Joan Hyland
Boh Baker
Mike Riplinget
Paul Danjar
Jonathan Stegie
Debt*# Hoertatt
Sandy John*,tone
Frank Sheer
Richard Burr
Sean Meyer*
Michele Matassa
Alai a Zak
Darlene Gore
Sally Otjar
Victoria Koch
Jean Ownoey
during the debate in the
University Senate and
Assembly along the lines our
research showed we should.
The semester conversion
proposal came before the
faculty and students in the
proper manner, just as it has
before, most recently two
years ago when it was narrow
ly defeated.
One further note, the actual
calender year of the semester
can still be changed before or
after it begins in the fall of
1985. During the ASUO
general election on April 20
and 21, three questions on the
semester system go before
the entire student body for a
vote. These votes will be for
the informational use of the
SUAB and the administration
in helping to determine what
systems students feel
benefits their education most.
The vote will show the support
a traditional or early semester
system has vs. the current
quarter system. Other impor
tant issues and candidate
races will be on the ballots as
well. Also, if you ever have any
questions or complaints con
cerning the structure, or ac
tions of the ASUO, SUAB, or
IFC please ask your represen
tative before you make misin
formed judgments.
Michael Prolhe
junior, architecture
Candidate reply
As a candidate for the In
cidental Fee Committee, I
would be more than happy to
respond to the letter printed in
the April 15 Emerald. In the let
ter, Raube wanted to know
whM the organization is which
I ’‘allude" to in my campaign
material. Well, let me
apologize if the mysterious
element of my campaign has
captured the curiousity of the
masses — I didn’t mean to
keep anyone in the dark
The organization which I
founded in 1981, of which I am
now president and manager of
a $40,000 budget, is an interna
tional Star Trek fan club
devoted to the promotion of
the future and the human ele
ment that will make the future
possible for everyone,
regardless of their ethnic
origin, religious persuasion or
other extraneous charac
teristics.
I am also very proud to be
the president of this organiza
tion because of the 3000
members that we have from
around the world. We have
members throughout Europe,
Canada, the United States and
Mexico.
In closing, I would like to
say that my experience as
president of this organization
gives me the unique qualities
that make my candidacy dif
ferent from those of my col
leagues running for IFC. I am
the only independent can
didate for IFC.
Eric Stillwell
sophomore, political science
Gay rights
It’s often been said that
liberals are for freedom of
speech — just so long as you
agree with them. A case in
point was the press con
ference held Thursday morn
ing by the Young Americans
for Freedom, to criticize the
“gay rights" bill currently
before the Oregon Senate.
This proposal would essential
ly require “affirmative action"
quotas for homosexuals, and
would even apply to private
Christian schools About 10
lesbians showed up at this
conference, where they pro
ceeded to sit down, disrupt
and otherwise harass the
speakers. I think these in
dividuals need to learn
something about allowing
other people to speak, even
they may not agree with what
they have to say.
Thomas Karter
freshman, history
letters policy
The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair
comment on topics of interest to the University community
Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, signed
and the identification of the writer must be verified when the
tetter is turned in to the Emerald office The Emerald reserves
the right to edit any letter for length, style or content
’ Your turn" is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by
members of the University community "Your turns” must be
limited to 500 words and typed This editorial column will not
be edited by the staff, but selection will be based on appro
priateness
Letters to the editor and "Your turns" should be turned into
the Emerald office. Suite 300 EMU
Unsigned editorials appearing in the Emerald are based
upon the majority opinion of the editorial board