| opinion
Morality inaction
it is not difficult to believe that the University’s image is
foremost on the minds of the University administration strug
gling to get money out of the Legislature.
It is difficult to believe that the University Assembly, the
faculty’s vehicle to influence University policy, does not
believe in upholding the University's affirmative action policy
which “affirms the right of individuals to equal opportunity in
education and employment without regard to ... any other
extraneous consideration, not directly and substantially
related to effective performance, including sexual
orientation.”
It is even more difficult to believe that the faculty pre
sent at the Assembly last week felt they should vote as
representatives of the corporate body known as the Universi
ty of Oregon, as Pres. Olum suggested, and not as in
dividuals and citizens.
But they did.
The faculty, goaded by the administration, weasled out
of a moral decision and voted to “postpone indefinitely” the
motion to force the military science department to abide by
University affirmative action policies.
By not voting on the actual motion, a simple suggestion
that the military science department abide by the University
policy or leave — whether it presently discriminates against
students or not — the group avoided having to deal with the
image problem of kicking ROTC off campus, should it not
comply. Moreover, the Assembly avoided portraying the
more controversial image of upholding the civil rights of
homosexuals.
Vice-provost Paul Holbo, who made the motion to
postpone indefinitely, said “If you are worried about ROTC
students — vote to postpone. If you have a decent respect
for the views of ordinary citizenry — vote to postpone."
Economics professor Robert Smith, in an interview with
the Emerald, said the motion would send the wrong message
to Oregonians and the State Legislature in particular, “The
message might be ‘UO kicks ROTC off campus,’ ”
Obviously, the assembly thought either forcing the
ROTC to follow University policy or supporting affirmative ac
tion for homosexuals too controversial an action to take, too
liberal an image to portray to a conservative state.
Pres. Paul Olum in his statement on the motion conclud
ed, “I believe that it is important for a University to be com
mitted to basic principles of moral behavior in its own func
tioning and in the way it treats its students and faculty and
others..
However, Olum stopped short when the commitment
had to be translated into corporate action: ”... all of us as in
dividuals, and as citizens, should obviously do all we can to
improve our society in these ways, but the University, as a
corporate body, should not.”
Olum voiced concern that other outside businesses and
associations that the University deals with would have then
to comply with University affirmative action policy.
To that, the Emerald can only say, “Yes." If groups are
going to teach in University departments, accept University
facilities and money and consider themselves part of the
University, then they should be obligated to abide by Univer
sity policy.
The bottom line on last Wednesday’s vote was, let the
courts decide what policy the ROTC should abide by and let
that stand at the University. The corporation known as the
University of Oregon stops short of affirmative action when it
may hurt our image, when it may conjure up images of the
states radical college of the 60s, when it may lose us 32
scholarships and some votes for funding in the Legislature.
Again, it is not incomprehensible that the administration
presently does not want to take any controversial stands.
This did not have to be the stand of the faculty. They were
free to vote as individuals and citizens.
Their overconcern with the University's image around
the state isn’t doing much for their Image on campus.
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THE BISHOPS TWT A LETTER
letters
Public Affairs
Your May 5 editorial regar
ding faculty salaries referred
to a study “Fiscal Stress in
Higher Education: Faculty
Salaries at the University of
Oregon.” You indicated that
the report was completed by
two undergraduates of the
“soon-to-be-phased out
department of CSPA.”
As a matter of information,
the majority of the research
was completed as graduate
course work within the Depart
ment of Planning, Public
Policy and Management, in the
School of Architecture and
Allied Arts. The Public Affairs
section of CSPA is now
located here.
This is a very useful and well
done piece of work of the type
which we encourage among
students in the Department.
As you stated in a recent
editorial, student benefit from
an interest and involvement In
the affairs of the University, as
well as contribute to maintain
ing its quality. The Department
intends to continue fostering
such activity among our
students.
Dean Runyan
hand, Hanning,
Public Policy
and Management
Derided
I’m responding to Wednes
day's letter from David
Sokoloff, the physics pro
fessor, who sarcastically
derided a physical plant
worker about his work on the
new wheelchair-bicycle ramp.
David, perhaps if you spent
less time looking out your win
dow and watching other peo
ple work you would think
before you judge them.
Either you know nothing
about brickwork or you have
less pride in the appearance of
our campus than that
bricklayer, because he is do
ing a beautiful, craftsmanlike
job that will last for many
years. His work isn't nearly as
embarrassing as your cute,
elitist letter is. Why don't you
help him some afternoon? You
might learn something.
Bari Baenzigar
language arts
Better lead
With all due respect to my
colleague, Dr. Fay Haisley,
and to the May 5 Emerald
front-page story by Sandy
Johnstone, an obvious typo
appeared in the lead. Obvious
ly, in the interest of accuracy:
.. S*ate Education ‘Top of
the Heap' " should have read,
“...State Education ‘Top of
the Cheap.’ ”
Henry Dlzney
professor, educational
psychology
Alternative
After reading the Opinion ar
ticle in the May 5 Emerald on a
need to increase professor's
salaries to keep many from
leaving, I had an urge to pro
vide alternative viewpoints.
First, the writer equates
money with quality of
knowledge and life. We must
ask ourselvs why the quality
potential professors are at
tracted to the University. Is it
for money alone? Does their
quality improve as their
salaries increase? Maybe the
opportunities in our academic
facilities attract them. Maybe
Eugene costs less to live in so
salaries can be lower than
other Universities.
Second, the article implies
that the turnover of quality
professors is one-sided; no
one replaces them. I don’t
believe that. I believe the
University replaces the
developed professors who
depart with professors who
have a potential to develop
and to maintain our high quali
ty. After developing, some
stay and some go. A young,
developing mind can be just
as educational as an older,
developed mind.
Finally, I don’t know if pro
fessors are struggling to live
with their current salary. I
have’t heard any complain.
Maybe it's because their pro
fession, unlike so many
others, offers continual
development and oppor
tunities for achievement. If
you increase their salary, you
tempt their material self, not
necessarily their academic
self. A set amount of money
used to improve their oppor
tunities for academic develop
ment would do more for their
satisfaction than if it was
divided among all the pro
fessors. We are tested here to
repeat, not create. Our think
ing shows it.
Peter Labadie
Oregon daily m .
emerald
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