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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1983)
I Arming education Perhaps there’s a silver lining to the National Com mission on Excellence in Education’s report calling the years of cuts in education, “unthinking, unilateral educa tion disarmament.” The report validates the cries for help that Oregon higher education lobbyists have made and will continue to make to the Legislature’s Ways and Means committee this week. This week, state system officials will be telling the committee that higher education cannot be cut further without reducing the number of students and decreasing the quality of education. Most likely, they will reiterate the well-documented point that tuition must be frozen, faculty salaries must be increased, and the state must pledge its support, if higher education would continue to be a viable force in Oregon’s recovery At the least, the national commission’s report, based on a 20-month study by a bi-partisan federal commission, should add fuel to the fire. The report called for stronger high school graduation requirements, better teacher’s salaries, longer school days and more homework. The report embellishes and reinforces Chancellor Bud Davis’ call for more college preparatory courses in high school. It notes the “rising tide of mediocrity” that demonstrates, in our opinion, the current support, and what could soon be the quality of higher education in the state. The Legislature now has a federal report backing up what they will be hearing from higher education represen tatives: Oregonians — along with most other Americans, — have been shortsighted in recent years when it comes to education. opinion letters Reflected Richard Burr is generally a fair and responsible reporter, yet his story in Monday's Emerald concerning the SUAB re-election reflected something other than responsibility. He stated that I said that I would probably win the re election. Though I uttered those words, I subsequently informed him, quite clearly, that I believe the opposite, and that I could easily lose the election. It is obvious, when the votes were 358 to 384, that the general election was close and that the outcome could have gone either way. The tur nout was a clear indication of the power that both an SPA en dorsement and a Greek en dorsement possesses. It is my belief that the re-election out come will be equally as close. It seems that a reporter's job is to convey the intent of the source, to include the whole message, if it is rele vant, and to write the truth, to the best of his or her ability. r Burr had the opportunity to in dicate that I took back my former mistaken statement and also to report what I ac tually believed yet, he chose not to. I question the ethics of this. Karin Keutzer funior, rhetoric and communications Nit picking While I agree with the opi nion expressed in the April 22 Emerald editorial regarding the fee bills before the legislature, I have two n?t picks: The ASUO Executive never set the 7 percent limita tion on fee Increases, indeed, it hasn’t the power. The limita tion has been mandated by the ASUO Constitution for many years Additionally, since 1980 the 7 percent limitations has only applied to a portion of the budget A 1980 Constitutional amendment exempted the athletic department and much of the EMU budget from the limitation Alan Contreras law Oregon doily m emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald It published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations, by the Oregon Detly Emerald Publishing Co. at (he University ot Oregon. Eugene. OR. 97403 The Emerald operelet independently ot the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and it iff Editor Managing Editor New* Editor Assistant Nawa Editor Editorial Pag* Editor Photo Editor Sport* Editor Associate Sport* Editor Enledatnmeni Editor Night Editor Associate Editor* Highar Education Da part moot* and School* Student Government Feature* Pontic* Student Services/Community Oerterai Start Advertising Manager Classified Advertising Production Merveger Coni rotter Harry Eateve John Haaly Marian Green Cod Eernatd Joan Nyland Boti Baker Mika Rtplmger Paul Danger Jonathan Staple Cod Femeid Sandy Johnstone Frank Shaw Richard Bur* Seen Mayer* Mtenet# Malesta A let* 2ak OadeneGore Salty otter Victoria Koch Jean Ownpey your turn Involving rights One year ago Sunday, I said goodbye to a friend at the Warsaw Central Train Station and climbed aboard the mid-afternoon “Ex press" southbound to the city of Krakow. I was on a mission of sorts from West Berlin — to vist friends, to transport food, minimal supplies and medication to them — in essence, to observe the deteriorating state of our world. One year ago today the martial law of Poland — at present supposedly “lifted” from the shoulders of my friends — deter mined when and where one would be be tween the 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. curfew. It brought the young soldiers, clutching their automatic weapons, out into the streets to monitor their own families and friends; it kill ed a few demonstrators; it outlawed trade union activity; it rolled the underground presses into full, though risky, action; it emp tied the shelves of groceries, clothing, and daily supplies; it made people hungry; it created anger, frustration, hopelessness, and helplessness for a majority. That was one year ago in Poland. Which is only one nation of nearly 150 others on this planet. Today are they much better off? How about the other 145 or so recognized and "unacknowledged” countries in the world? The Poles are not alone. In every corner of the world — even here in protected, idyllic Oregon — people are at tempting to remove appalling injustices from their lives, needing to live in cooperation with their natural environments and resources, pleading for an equal chance to guide their own short lives. How might it feel to live as a black per son In South Africa or under the threat of be ing murdered in Central America or Southeast Asia? And how about Lakeview, Oregon? Not 250 miles from Eugene people have died or are dying of lung cancer traced directly to the Uranium Tailings mined there. Our Willamette River is being transformed into who-knows-what by toxic seepage near Albany — waste products of a company’s plant which produces much of the zirconium used in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. We are all involved whether or not we en joy believing it. Our tax dollars supply military hardware and “advice’’ into develop ing and third world nations, our backyards and biological systems are contaminated by wastes and abuses, our utility bills may even tually require payment on the seven billion dollar default on WPPSS. Pessimistic? Fatalistic? Realistic. If nuclear technology suddenly escalates into the release of missiles, it will not be selective in its choice of annihilation. We share a vulnerability unlike any other, and even those who plead ignorance or apathy will not get off the hook. Unfortunately, there are no innocent bystanders. Unless immediate care is given, in any capacity. Eugene and the University communities provide well-informed, organized and effec tive student-operated groups. We have our own newspape s and media sources who care: SNuFF, the Survival Center, OSPIRG, the Food OP, the ASUO, the Emerald, KWAX, SORD, the Council for Human Rights, People for a South African Freedom. The list goes on, again. (My apologies to those unmention ed. Please write in). Look beyond text books and blue books. Ask. Care. When I think of Piotr, my friend in War saw, I see him wanting to say so much, to do so much, to care so much. But he lives in a perpetual fear of the consequences for speaking his mind. He can’t influence and participate in decision making. And neither can most people in the world. We can, and we must exercise our rights before we lose them, for ourselves as well as for those who can’t. Corey Tong Tong is a sanior in architecture. 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 letter is turned in to the Emerald office The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length, style or content ' Your turn1’ 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
