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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1984)
Ducks wallop Trojans, 80-49 See page 6A Oregon daily em era Id Friday, January 13, 1984 Eugene, Oregon Volume 85, Number 78 Tree-cutting plan encounters deeply rooted opposition By Michael Doke Of the Emerald A proposal to widen Sixth and Seventh avenues into a tour-lane highway ran into a deeply rooted problem last night as Eugene planning commissioners heard public testimony, most of it negative, concerning the Oregon State Highway Department project. Most of the opposition centered on the destruction of the 137 trees lining the avenues that would have to be cut down in order to widen the roadway. In a standing room-only crowd at the city council chambers, Chairman Rodger Rutan and other commission members heard complaints that the big leaf maples are part of the cultural heritage of the city and by removing the trees Eugene would lose much of its "unique image." Saving the trees wasn't the only argument used by op ponents of the project, however. According to opponents, an § ^east-west corridor would split the downtown area; make the *kAir c ity less livable; turn the Hult Center into a concrete island; benefit West Eugene businesses at the cost ot downtown commerce; take business away from the area of the Fifth Street Public Market business area; and make Sixth and Seventh avenues a hazardous area for pedestrian traffic. It the proposal is approved, construction of the four-lane highway between High and Garfield streets would begin next summer. The roadway would be widened from 34 feet to 46 feet. Proponents said the project is needed to prepare for the V2 percent estimated population increase projected for the year 2000. In addition, the flow of traffic will increase by 70 percent between Jefferson and Garfield streets and by 30 per cent between Washington and High streets, according to Jim Carlson, research division manager for the Lane County Council of Governments. Most of the audience agreed that the roadway along the avenues has greatly deteriorated and traffic safety through that area needs to be improved. OBut widening the streets to four lanes is unnecessary, op ponents claimed. Jerry Diethelm, a member of the design review committee assigned by the city to look into proposal, said a four-lane cor ridor in the downtown area is unnecessary because a majority of the estimated traffic growth will occur not in the heart of the city but west from Blair to Garfield streets. Four lanes in the latter area are all that would be needed, he said. The planning commission will meet again on Monday to consider alternatives to the state highway proposal and deliver a recommendation to the Eugene City Council Jan. 23. Students sink teeth into protest A group of University students — in cluding, from left, Joern Wettern, Sarah Bar ton and Andrea Thompson — have been par ticipating in a lunch-hour "eat in" in front of Navy and Marine Corps recruiting tables the past week. 7 don't think we should have them here," said protestor Scott Leckie, who oppos ed the allowance of EMU lobby space to the armed forces' recruiters. "They don't have anything to do with the University." About 15 students assembled for Thursday's version, eating and singing to the accompaniment of a guitar. Leckie said the students didn't repre sent any particular organization. Photo by Bill Harpole Cheating cases rising to record number By )ulie Shippen Of the Emerald During fall term, seven cases of academic ^ dishonesty were reported to the University's Student Conduct Committee, which is more than double the three incidents that occurred fall term 1982. These numbers may not be striking by themselves, but they were enough to impress commit tee Director Vernon Barkhurst that at this rate of in crease, there will be a record number of dishonesty cases for the year. "More of this goes on than we can detect," says Barkhurst, who adds that the upswing in reported stu dent dishonesty could also mean an increase in its detection by professors. One known reason for the increase is that in cidents are now involving more than one student, Barkhurst says. For example, four students combined their efforts last term in making their own registration packets as an attempt to sign up for classes earlier than their assigned times. There are other ways to cut academic corners. The "surrogate exam taker" — one who takes an exam for another student — was outdone last summer by a male student who tried to take an entire course in his brother's name. Since a formal admission to the University isn't required for summer-term registration, the "surrogate course taker" nearly succeeded, Barkhurst says. "I'm not going to tell you how we found out," L Barkhurst says with a grin. Most academic dishonesty, however, involves the more basic form of what Barkhurst calls "copiously copying from books." "The preponderance of plagiarism cases are by foreign students," Barkhurst says. Even graduate foreign students, he adds, who have difficulty with the English language, have plagiarized materials rather than have to translate extensive portions of literature. Another sector of the student population that fre 'I can honestly tell you I flagrantly cheated once, but it did me no good. It didn't get me the grade.' quently is found guilty of copying is the freshman class, typically unskilled in writing term papers, he says. Barkhurst cited a memorable case where a stu dent "used" an essay taken from a collection provid ed as an example to the class. What amazed Barkhurst was that this student chose an essay with a less-than satisfactory grade to hand in. "Most cases that come in here are open and shut," Barkhurst says. But the problem of providing concrete evidence discourages professors from charging suspicious students. "I'm very reluctant to accuse a student of cheating," says Marshall Wattles, professor emeritus in economics. "I never felt I had fool-proof evidence." If he thought a student had acted dishonestly, Wattles says he could only watch them more carefully during the next test. Students caught engaging in a dishonest activity first have the opportunity of seeking legal council and the right to an administrative hearing, which allows for an appeal. The hearing, however, is usually for the more serious charges of student dishonesty, Barkhurst says. If they waive that right, however, "they throw themselves in my lap," says Barkhurst, who then would assign the penalty. Some of the stiffer penalties include degree revocation, expulsion, suspension and a negative notation on transcripts, Barkhurst says. In certain cases, therapy can be forced on students. Barkhurst points to a letter in which a professor reprimands a student fortunate enough to only receive a written warning for cheating. "When you cheat, you only hurt yourself," it says. Apparently, some students recognize this. "I can honestly tell you I flagrantly cheated once, but it did me no good," says one student who prefers to remain anonymous. "It didn't get me the grade, and I haven't done it since."
