opinion
The obvious
system
The battle for a semester system is not over.
Despite the State Board of Higher Education's defeat
of the University proposal, the University could get ap
proval for the right semester system.
In March, the University Assembly passed a motion
to change to a late semester system. Under the late
semester system, classes would begin in mid September.
There would be a break in December and the first
semester would resume in January. In late January there
would be another break before the next term began.
According to an Emerald survey, 62 percent of the
students prefer the quarter system. However, if they are
"given” the two-term system, 86 percent prefer an early
semester system that finishes before Christmas.
Students voted in favor of an early semester system
on Ballot Measure Five of the ASUO election. The Student
University Affairs Board is planning a motion next year for
an early semester system.
The State Board of Higher Education defeated the
University’s motion in a 5-5 decision last Friday. The ab
sent board member still needs some convincing.
According to board member Jane Carpenter, the
board’s early favorable impression was “weighted to the
early calendar.”
Obvious yet?
The board members are worried that a semester
system at one institution will hurt transfer students from
other state schools. It will. Students, from say Southern
Oregon State College, will not be able to transfer "easily”
to the University of Oregon mid-year. Under the proposed
late semester system, they will have a five-week break bet
ween Christmas and late January. They would not be able
to transfer spring quarter.
Under an early semester system, students easily
could transfer after Christmas. Again, they could not
transfer during spring vacation.
Students understandably favor the early semester
system. It gives them a hedge on finding summer jobs —
something an increasingly larger segment of students
need to finance the upcoming year.
Students also favor the early semester system
because it does not cut Christmas vacation into two
chunks. Who wants to return to finals and term papers
post-Christmas? Where will the students who live out of
state go for the second break?
The majority of campuses that are on a semester
system have figured this out. In 1967-68 about 76 percent
of the institutions were on the traditional semester
system. By 1979-80, 53 percent were on an early semester
system..
Pres. Paul Olum says the University faculty did not
support an early semester system for "political reasons.”
As far as the Emerald can discern, the political
reasons stem from shortening one summer break and
missing a few weeks of late summer weather.
It also should be noted that at the state board
meeting not a single student from the University, ex
cluding the Emerald reporter, was there. The board would
have liked to have seen soma student support for the
semester system.
Getting a semester system approved by the state
board should not be an insurmountable task for the
University. The state board needs a little convincing of
student support as well as support from schools around
the state.
The former can be found if the Assembly reconsiders
the early semester system.
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I letters
Brilliant
I would like to express my
heartfelt thanks to Mr. Bran
don Shepard for his brilliant
letter concerning OSP1RG fun
ding measures. It was certain
ly a crucial factor in my deci
sion. Of the few reasons to
vote NO on OSPIRG funding,
Ralph Nader's condemnation
of the Chevy Corvair is the
most ingenius. Bravo! I could
kick myself for not thinking of
it.
God knows Nader had the
overthrow of the entire civiliz
ed world in mind when he
founded PIRGs. The furthering
of student representation in
consumer and social matters
must be a commie plot, and
Shepard’s dollar would be bet
ter spent on a couple of beers.
Oh, but that would leave him
with only two brain cells.
I voted yes on both
measures Two and Three.
Thanks again, Shepard.
Rich Howarth
senior, social science
Acid rain bills
At the April 18 Earth Week
panel discussion on acid rain,
I did not have a reference
available on the current bills
vending in Congress to ad
dress the problem.
Those who wish to have
some impact on the debate in
Congress regarding acid ram
should be aware of Senate Bill
145, introduced by Sen. Mit
chell of Maine and House Rule
132 by Rep. Gregg of New
Hampshire.
These bills would require a
10 million ton reduction in
sulfur dioxide emissions in
the Eastern states within 10
years. They are the most str
ingent current proposals.
Sen Robert Stafford of Ver
Oregon daily
emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald >« published Monday through
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Editor
Managing Editor
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Editorial Pago Editor
Pttolo Editor
Sport* Editor
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Emariatnmoni Editoi
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t)opartm«nt* and School*
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Harry Eatava
John Haaty
Marian Groan
Cort Fa maid
Joan Nyiand
Bob Bahai
Mia* fttplmgar
Pam Oaruor
Jonathan Sregia
Sandy johnatone
Fianh Shaw
Pic hard Burr
Saan Mayor*
Michaie Mata»*a
A iota Zah
OartonaGore
Salty Otiar
Victoria Koch
Jaan Ownboy
mont has re-introduced a com
promise bill. Senate Bill 768,
which would allow 12 years
and call for only eight million
tons of reduction. The Ad
ministration opposes all acid
rain controls and instead
believes more research is
required.
Administration proposals to
delay air pollution controls on
Western smelters until 1993
and to allow a doubling of
nitrogen dioxide emissions for
new cars might also worsen
acid rain problems, according
to some people. The Ad
ministration is also seeking to
abolish protection of “Class
II” clean air areas. AM these
are issues in the C'ean Air Act
amendments currently pen
ding in Congress.
More information can be ob
tained from, or views express
ed to, Senators Hatfield and
Packwood, U S. Senate,
Washington, D C.
John Bonine
professor, law
On club sports
Did you know that last sum
mer part of the University's
club sport Crew defeated
UCLA to represent the West at
the National Sports Festival?
Did you know the University
club spirts baseball team has
a record of 12 wins and 7
losses, and has beaten rival
Oregon State twice so far this
season? I have participated in
both club sports, and I’d like to
give you an idea of the dedica
tion and desire found in the
athletes involved with club
sports.
Each program is funded
within the club sports budget,
but the allocations do not
come close to covering a com
petitive team s expenses. The
crew last year cleaned up after
six basketball games and
three track meets in order to
raise money for travel ex
penses. We had two Nor
thwest regional champions,
and the varsity four-man boat
won a Pac-10 title defeating
University of California at
Berkeley.
This year the baseball team
is competing with no scholar
ship players (Greg Moser is on
a football scholarship), and
head coach Larry Hanson and
pitching coach Brian Peterson
are unpaid volunteers.
The target of this letter is
the lack of coverage given by
the Emerald to these athletes,
coaches, and teams in club
sports. Associate Sports
Editor Paul Danzer gives the
excuse that space is limited in
the sports section and
therefore "varsity" sports get
priority coverage. Fine, but I’m
tired of two-page feature
stories on the track team and
the football team. Those
athletes desen/e recognition,
but I think there is room for a
line score of the baseball
game or the results of a crew
regatta.
The Oregonian and the
Register-Guard have covered
our baseball team better than
our own University newspaper.
Danzer also told me that the
only people interested in the
club spoils programs are the
participants. If you want to be
informed and are interested in
how your University club
sports teams are competing, I
urge you to stop by the
Emerald in the third floor of
the EMU and mention your in
terest. I guarantee your ac
tions will be appreciated by
many dedicated athletes on
campus.
John Bigelow, senior
member, ’81-’82 crew teem
’82 '83 baseball team
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