opinion
We're just psyched
over homecoming
Break out the poodleskirts, shake the dust off those angora
sweaters, wash out the chinos, buff the white bucks and take
those letter sweaters out of mothballs. No, it's not a 1950s
flashback, it's homecoming.
Homecoming?
Yes.. .homecoming at the University and up at the Emerald
we're ready with our "Brikk-ah brakk-ah, firecracker, sis boom
bahs."
The last time the University held a full-blown homecoming
celebration was in the late 1960s. However, the alumni associa
tion, in conjunction with the University have resusitated this
previously deflated tradition.
Called “The Duck Experience '83," homecoming is schedul
ed for the first week in November. The brochure sent to alumni
says it all: “We're sure you'll find nostalgia, tradition, ar.d some
things new. It all adds up to an excellent way to return to cam
pus and relive your duck experience..."
Students might be advised to look out for a gaggle of
middle-aged alumni in beanie-copter caps charging about cam
pus on panty raids, or racing off to paint the "O" on Skinner's
Butte, or stuffing an odd Volkswagen or two while they swallow
goldfish.
Now that's the “duck experience."
But seriously, we hope it doesn't rain the day of the
homecoming parade.
The parade, scheduled for dusk on Friday, Nov. 4, will start
on campus and wend its way to downtown Eugene, ending at
the intersection of Broadway and Willamette Street. The parade
is a “town and gown" affair. "Town and gown" is one of those
euphemisms for the combined efforts of the University and the
city of Eugene.
We're pumped.. .and we're psyched for the pep rally after
the homecoming parade. Head coach Rich Brooks and his staff
will be there leading the cheers: "Beat UCLA.. .beat UCLA."
But technology has supplanted the traditional pep rally bon
fire with a laser light show. Somehow it won't be the same as
burning effigies of the UCLA Bruins in arching yellow flames
raking the night sky.
In an effort to eliminate any sexism in homecoming — these
are modern times — the homecoming committee has changed
the traditional election of a homecoming king and queen. In
stead, a committee of three faculty, three students and three
community members will select four "Student Ambassadors,”
two boys and two girls.. .er.. .two men and two women.
Actually, we strongly favor the idea of reviving homecoming
and all the activities attendant on the week. We've been a little
tongue-in-cheek, but fully recognize the beneficial side of the
homecoming week.
Homecoming is good for the University for a number of
reasons. Those returning alumni clustering on campus will
doubtless recall their days of education here, and the quality of
education available at the University.
The alumni will look back, as people do, with remembrance
more of the intensity of their lives when at the University than of
the hours and hours of study. They'll wearily go home after the
week-long activities reminded of the top-notch caliber of this
University.
Let's not forget the financial considerations. Loyal alumni
are probably the singlemost important resource group for the
University. They are possibly the largest group contributing
money to the University.
Homecoming is a means to involve the alumni in the Univer
sity process, the University process as presently practiced.
While they are here during homecoming week they will see
firsthand both the strengths and weaknesses of the University.
They will certainly want to bolster the strengths and eliminate
the weaknesses of the University.
Homecoming is good for the city of Eugene for much the
same reasons it benefits the University. Eugene benefits image
wise and dollar-wise. Hotels, motels and restaurants will do in
creased business with the influx of alumni.
Even though homecoming conjures up amusing images of
rabid collegiates piling up inside a telephone booth or hula
hooping to the cha-cha-cha, the whole idea of reinstituting an
annual homecoming week is one we wholeheartedly favor.
"Bola bola bola — rah rah rah."
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letters
1,000 days
We've now had a thousand days
of Reagan as president. It's time to
take a look back at the record and
ponder all those wise and wonder
ful things that have occurred
under his stewardship which are
supposed to make us proud of life
in America.
According to the Congressional
Budget Office, after four years
Reagan's deficit of $825 billion will
have exceeded the combined
deficits of every president from
jimmy Carter back to George
Washington.
At the end of 1983's second
quarter, over 10.6 million in
dividuals were officially
unemployed, 3.1 million more
than when Reagan first took of
fice. the August unemployment
rate was 9.5 percent, as it was in
1982. There has only been one
year in the entire post — war
period prior to 1982 in which the
unemployment rate has risen over
8 percent.
Despite a continuing period of
:he highest unemployment since
the Depression, employment and
training programs have been cut a
total of 60 percent during
Reagan's presidency. CETA, the
nation's major job creation and
training program, has been
elimiated entirely.
More than 6 million Americans
have dropped below the poverty
line since Reagan took office.
New guidelines for the FBI,
issued in March of 1983, allow the
FBI to infiltrate organizations dur
ing "inquiries” based on un
substantiated allegations rather
than on standards required for
criminal investigation and to col
lect "publicly available informa
tion" on individuals- or groups
>vho are not even the subjects of
an investigation.
I could go on and on, but it
would take up a few issues of the
Emerald to detail all of the equally
repressive measures that have
been devised during the tenure of
our sweet and affable "Great
Communicator."
One thing is certain. When
November 1984 comes around I
most definitely will NOT be better
off than I was four years ago. I
doubt any of you will be either.
David Isenberg
A miracle?
Regarding the editorial
Frohnmayer Opinion” in the
Oct. 20 Emerald, and the issue
itself aside, it appears that the
writer does not know that
Antelope and Rajneeshpuram are
two different places.
The attorney general's opinion
concerns the recently incor
porated city of Rajneeshpuram,
which is situated on the John Day
River some 18 miles southeast of
the little town of Antelope, which
was founded in 1871.
There has been no "transforma
tion of Antelope into Ra
jneeshpuram.’' Not even the
Bhagwan could bring off a miracle
of such magnitude.
Charles Duncan
professor emeritus, journalism
An acid wit
Turf, that's what it comes down
to. At first I thought it was all the
injuries, but that's a different
ache, not so infuriating. Nor was it
the customary uncertainty about
Who, pray, is gonna quarterback
tt>dayf What it was was the turf,
the slimey, treacherous, hamstr
ingmg artificial turf.
Jorgensen's receivers were
always two steps behind the pat
tern, spinning wheels on that
composition of pond algae and
green weasel sperm. Duffy and
the cornerbacks couldn't blitz or
dog the passer, no acceleration off
that worn-out wonder of plastic
shag And that's the ache. It ain't
the losing, it's the slipping. It's the
falling down that makes the end
of that game so desultory, not the
falling behind.
Under Casanova's cultification
our team raised roses out of the
grit and grime and real grass of
old Hayward Field. If it was slick
and muddy it was still our mud,
churned up by our muscles, not
r
something manufactured by Mon
santo or whoever. Besides, ducks
play better in the mud, the natural
turf of webfeet. Why give up our
natural edge for the sake of easy
maintenance? That’s like painting
our wrestling mat black trimmed
in orange because it's easier to
keep clean than yellow and green.
The University is making money
off these kids playing out there;
it's only fair to give them
something decent to play on six
inches of rich topsoil right over
the top of that manufactured
mistake, seeded with Oregon
timothy, and fescue, and high-rent
hybrids, with turf, turf, turf.
ken Kesey
Pleasant H-.ll
Informed
In recent years, students have
proven themselves to be reliable
and informed participants when
included in the University's deci
sion — making process. Whether
it is the allocation of incidental
fees, the administration of the
EMU, coordination of legislative
affairs and University relations,
serving on student/faculty com
mittees, or sitting in the University
Senate and Assembly, students
have responsibly fulfilled their
duties.
Yet, despite the conscientious
efforts of student representatives,
there is a movement afoot to
severely curtail student involve
ment in the “new, improved"
University Senate. A minority of
faculty members would like to cut
the number of student seats in the
Senate by more than half. This is
despite the University's 15,000
students traditionally being allow
ed representation amounting to
one — third of the Senate's
membership.
The matter faces votes in both
the Senate and Assembly in up
coming weeks. I urge concerned
faculty to protect student
representation, and maintain the
traditional balance in the Universi
ty Senate be defeating this
proposal.
Marc Spence
senior, political science
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