Oregon daily emerald., April 26, 1983, Page 2, Image 2

I
Election analysis
The University’s ASUO political stew could have an in
teresting flavor next year. Recipe. Add the SPA-endorsed
president-elect Mary Hotchkiss, omit the Greek-endorsed
heir apparent, spice with a newly invigorated OSPIRG, leave
the base of a 5-2 Greek-endorsed incidental Fee Committee.
Bake all summer.
What will it taste like?
First, it should taste different. The Greek “dynasty” —
Eaton to Wilkins to Balfe — has ended. Student for a Pro
gressive Agenda, initially organized to counteract the staple
diet of business and political science majors, has aroused
student political interest.
Like the mayoral election in Chicago, a strong difference
in candidates brought 4,400 students to the polls, the largest
turnout in 29 years.
More importantly, the presidential victory and the
passage of the measures signal a continued liberal bent to
student opinion. The theory of a newly conservative campus
does not hold. The vote shows signs of student concern in
what has seemed an apolitical campus this year.
Students approved the dramatic increase in OSPIRG
funding, allowing the group to re-establish a student con
sumer research and lobbying force. The students overwhelm
ingly supported Ballot Measure One, an initiative to make the
University a nuclear free zone. Students favored Ballot
Measure Four, an endorsement for the Senate Assembly mo
tion to kick ROTC off campus unless they follow University
affirmative action policy, as well as the early semester
system.
opinion
However, the lack of students running for SUAB posi
tions signals something quite different. Two seats remain
empty. Students lack enthusiasm or courage to run for those
positions. Student influence in administrative decision
making is dwindling.
In years gone by, students fought for these positions.
The Faculty Governance Committee is proposing remov
ing 16 of the 18 students from the Senate and renaming it the
Faculty Senate, according to the acting chair of the Task
Force on Faculty Governance. Student voice at the
Legislature is small, and student opinion on some University
committees and the state board is a minute squeak.
But the election signals more than the two parties vying
for power on campus or a call for a more politically active stu
dent government before it is too late. The social make-up of
the campus is changing.
The real challenge in the last election was representing
the University's more diverse student population. The stu
dent majority probably is still the 18-22 year olds fresh from
Oregon high schools, but the older student population is
growing. Many of these students are married or divorced.
Some have children. They are bent on finding careers and
finding themselves. They are returning to school after
"stepping out" to work or travel. They give the University a
different hue.
Mary Hotchkiss reflects them perfectly.
The new ASUO Executive should do her utmost to
establish a working relationship with the Greek-endorsed
majority on the IFC. All the student-funded program ad
ministrators need to strive to represent the entire student
body.
The new ASUO administration needs to continue to be
political and controversial and make it understood that
without enthusiastic attention from the whole student body
— whether they like what their representatives are doing or
not — what voice students have will go unheard or worse yet,
be taken away.
There is no mandate from a homogeneous group of
students or even a majority. Hotchkiss’ election is the com
promise vote of women, minorities and independents.
If there is a way to blend the political and social
awareness of Mary Hotchkiss with the administrative ex
perience of those currently in student government, such as
David Gibson or Sheila Schain, then Hotchkiss should find
the right recipe.
We need more than a spicy student government. We
need a healthy well-balanced one.
*Mr t
Graduation I ickets
MM. $00* TttKVTS
Ptft. PtRSOW'.
"Y
-Bur ^l&NoRi, I HAVE. A KEAL.lv LARGE “FaMilV"!
letters
Appalled
I am in awe of your coverage
of the Earth Week — a double
spread list of events plus two
articles on the speakers. In ac
tuality, I feel quite jealous and
angry (this is not to deny that
Earth Week doesn’t merit
publicity, I only regret that
other events of importance are
not given equal treatment).
As a coordinator of this
year’s Women's Symposium, I
was appalled by the lack of
pre-event publicity. I had been
warned of your limited (slight
to non-existence) coverage in
past years, but due to the re
cent attention given your in
creased consciousness and
denied use of sexist language
I felt that this would be a
rumor of the past.
It is regrettable that people
were not given more informa
tion about the symposium (29
workshops, information and
crafts faire, films, concerts
and an art show). By not being
aware of these events, it is un
doubtedly hard for people to
attend. Of course, maybe the
symposium is not important
enough to receive coverage,
women are only slightly below
one half of the University
population.
Be kind enough to not bore
me with excuses, you wt>re
sent a full schedule of events,
along with several visits to
your office as the days grew
nearer and still no sign of
coverage Many times I had to
explain to workshop
Oregon doily
emerald
The Oregon Deity Emerald l* published Monday through
Friday except during exam week and vacation*, by th# Oregon
Dally Emerald Publishing Co at th* University ot Oregon.
Eugene. OF), 97403
The Emerald operala* independently ot th* University
with offices on the third lioor of the Ert> Memorial Union and is
a memder of the Associated Press.
Mews and Editorial
Display Advertising and Business
Mt-MIt
sasina
m
SM4MI
MSU1I
2
Editor
Managing Editor
Naw* Editor
Aaaiatant Ntwi Editor
Editorial Pago Editor
Photo Editor
Sport* Editor
A**octat* Sport* Editor
Entartainmant Editor
Night Editor
Aaaaciata Editor*
Highor Education
Oapartmant* and School*
Studant Govarnmant
Faalura*
Politic*
Studant SantcaafSommunity Altai'*
Oanatsl Statt
Adwa«ti*ing Managar
Claatiliad Advertising
Production Managar
Control tar
Marry Eatava
John Maaly
Marian Qraan
Cort Famaid
Joan Nyland
Bob Baker
Mika Btplingar
Paul Danier
Jonathan Siagia
Mika Bipimgar
Sandy Johnatona
Frank Shaw
Richard Burr
Saan Mayar*
Michele Mat ass*
Atata Zak
Oartano Qor*
Sally Ot|ar
Victoria Koch
Jaan OwnOay
presenters, crafts and infor
mation people, that we inform
ed and asked the Emerald to
print a schedule of events, but
to no avail. I think it is you who
owe those people an apol
ogy, not us. Maybe next
year you could give more than
lip-service to your liberal non
sexist views.
Holly Hutton
coordinator,
Women’s Symposium
Insulting
I found the April 19 editorial
cartoon to not only be ill
conceived and poorly timed,
but also annoying and in
sulting to those of us who
believe that the election of
Harold Washington as mayor
of Chicago to be only the
beginning of good things to
come.
The cartoon depicts a scene
of confusion and hope
lessness in the Democra
tic party in a city where
a black democratic candi
date was elected mayor. You
would think by looking at the
cartoon that the election of a
black candidate was the
source of all the confusion.
Furthermore, the boxcar
that the candidates are in is at
the end of the tracks. What
does this imply? The end of
the line for the Democratics? I
would argue quite the
contrary.
The election of Washington
is a new beginning for the
Democrats. Because if
nothing else, the election of
Washington demonstrates
that blacks and Hispanics are
at the level of political
sophistication that is needed
to get their candidate elected.
And if the Democrats want to
regain the presidency they will
have to run a black, woman, or
Hispanic candidate as vice
president A candidate who
can articulate the concerns of
these under represented
groups.
This is common knowledge
both throughout the
Democratic party and the
media. This only acts to fur
ther irritate me everytime I
look at the cartoon — which
seems to mean that because
the Democrats must run a
"minority” candidate, the par
ty is shot to hell.
I realize that the Emerald
probably has very little direct
control over the editorial car
toons that it prints. But it is my
belief that in the future
such emotional issues like
that of the Chicago mayoral
race, some form of censorship
is warranted. To continue prin
ting such insensitive material
only acts to covertly reinforce
those racist attitudes and
beliefs many people in this
country still hold.
James Britt
director,
Black Student Union
For or against
Does the YAF stand for
Young Americans Against
Freedom or Young Ameri
cans For Freedom?
I am confused.
I like apple pie, baseball and
the Beach Boys as well as any
red-blooded American, but I
question how any group called
Young Americans For
Freedom can be pleased when
people are denied their rights.
I may not personally be a
believer in communism, but I
will stand up for their freedom
from any form of discrimina
tion, and the statement ap
plies as well to homosexuality.
Would the YAF like all
"homos" to wear pink
triangles? How about Jews?
Why I am not even sure if they
eat apple pie? In fact I think
they drive Datsuns. While on
the subject — what do
“homos” drive? Those pink
Cadillacs belong to Mary Kay.
I think YAF must stand for
Young Americans For
Freedom exccept for “homos”
(aren’t they Americans?) and
any other group YAF deems
unfit. Hitler would be proud.
So would the Hitler Youth. By
the way, Young Americans for
Freedom, I would fight for
your freedom to work where
you want and live where you
want as well.
Randy 'Vhite
senior, journalism