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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1985)
editorial Student groups face funding decisions Between the Oregon House of Representatives, the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Justice, there is an issue brewing with the potential to affect almost every student-funded organization at the University. The issue is whether or not mandatory incidental fees can be used to fund student organizations that use these funds to advocate definitive positions on political issues. The question about the use of mandatory incidental fees surfaced last April when “students” from various campuses of the Oregon State System of Higher Education approached State Representative Larry Campbell and Vice Chancellor Bill Lemman of the Department of Higher Education about the use of incidental fees to fund political activities of various student groups. Since then, Campbell and Lemman have pursued a formal opinion on the issue from the At torney General’s office. The Attorney General’s office has drawn up a list of questions for Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer to answer. The nature of these questions and the statements that Frohnmayer may give on them can have far-reaching im plications for student organizations funded by mandatory incidental fees. These questions include whether incidental fees may be used to fund student organizations which advocate, through use of these fees, definitive positions on: ij J3ciiioi measures oeiore uregon voters; 2) Legislation before the Oregon Legislative Assembly; 3) Administrative rules or policies of state or federal agencies including the State Board of Higher Education; and 4) Issues before state or federal judicial tribunals. These questions raise both federal and state constitu tional issues. If Frohnmayer determines that it is unlawful for mandatory student fees to go to groups that have definitive political stances on the issues mentioned above, it could mean that an entire spectrum of student groups on campus may see their student funding in jeopardy. More specifically, it could mean that the ASUO would not be able to use incidental fees to take a clear stand on the South African divestment issue. It could mean that groups such as OSPIRG, Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Women’s Resource and Referral, Black Student Union and Student Campaign for Disarmament could not use incidental fees that they may be receiving to support or oppose any policies of state or federal agencies or to take sides on legislative issues that they feel may be in the best interest of their members or beliefs. The potential for across-the-board cuts in incidental fees to student groups is enormous, depending on Frohnmayer’s response to the above-mentioned questions. At issue is how far Campbell and Lemman are willing to carry the legal question of using incidental fees to fund groups with strong political stances and what kind of state ruling may ultimate ly be made on it. If the questions prepared by the Attorney General’s of fice are determined to be the guidelines for which student groups may or may not use incidental fees, the result will mean that many student organizations will become political ly neutralized and thus prevented from taking any definitive stance on issues considered by many students to be of great importance to Oregon and the nation. This doesn’t just concern left- and right-wing groups in volved in national politics and foreign policy. It could mean the Oregon Student Lobby would not be able to fight for a tuition freeze. The ASUO would not be able to circulate peti tions condemning unfair moves by the State Board of Higher Education. Overall, students would have no organized way of banding together for political action that favors ALL of us. emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403. The Emerald operates independently of the Universi ty with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press. General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Advertising Sales: Laura Buckley, Tim Clevenger, Jen nifer Fox, Marcia Leonard, Rick Martz, Nancy Nielsen, Laurie Nobel, Roberta Oliver, David Wood. Production: David Bryant, Kelly Cornyn, John Dorsey, Stormi Dykes, Julie Freeman, Kathy Gallagher, Dean Guernsey, Susan Hawkins, Ross Martin, Karin McKer cher, Lauri Neely, Kelly Neff, Curt Penrod, Tamye Riggs, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonika, Tim Swillinger, Colleen Tremaine, Hank Trotter. Production Manager Classified Advertising Controller Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Own bey Page 2A Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Sidelines Editor Entertainment Editor Assistant Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Administration Higher Education Politics ASUO Student Activities Community Features Michele Matassa Mike Sims Michael Kulaga Costas Christ Michael Clapp Brent De La Paz Sheila Landry Kim Carlson Mike Duncan Julie Shippen Jolayne Houtz Michael Hosmar Paul Ertelt Julie Shippen Michael Doke Cynthia Whitfield Lori Steinhauer Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Dave Berns, Robert Collias, Diana Elliott, Thomas Henderson, Allan Lazo, Capi Lynn, Scott McFetridge, Stasia Scarborough. News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686-5511 letters Not so bad Many Americans are the dumbest people in the world. Who are they? How dumb are they? Very dumb. Here’s what they have. A country of unbanned beau ty. Almost unlimited natural resources. A judicial system that is the envy of the rest of the world. Food so plentiful, overeating is a major problem. A press nobody can dominate. A ballot box nobody can stuff. Churches of choice. One hun dred million jobs. Freedom to go anywhere you want, with planes, cars and highways to get you there. Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment In surance, Public Schools and plentiful scholarships. ^Oppor tunity to become a millionaire. Next time you see a protester telling you what is wrong with America, tell him what is right with America. Not so bad, is it, complainers? Ron Munion Political Science Build a throne Here, here are we, we with our putrid rotting souls, filth and sin oozing from these open sores that we call our mouths, our eyes, our ears — our every pore. We are the scum, the dregs, the jugglers, the exiled and degenerate. And there, there is Mark, Mark Bemheimer whose outcry concerning gun control was printed here on Jan. 7 Don’t you see? Who was it that led tens of thousands of ho ly warriors to victory in the bat tle against evil and the dark warlock Griselder? Who was it that built the bridge by which celestial choirs can cross so their sweet music may be heard by not only angels but mortals as well? Who is it that holds the torch and the banner for all that is good and pure and right and watches over the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ while he is doing other things? The answer is Mark, Now the issue, the point, is not that Mark is right. He is. The point is that a large throne, adorned with golden dragons and priceless gems and textiles should be constructed for Mark and then we should all get in line to annoint his feet and calves with exotic and sweet smelling balms and oils and lo tions. Thank You. Geoffrey Ellsworth Romance Languages Joy of giving It’s already a major achieve ment to get me to write to even kinfolk. The Oregon Board of Higher Education is to be com mended for a significant suc cess — getting me off my duff to write to the paper. Just in time for the holidays (when faculty and students are home — gutsy board), we are presented with the Joy of Giving to the Rich (in this comer, Philadelphia Lawyers) after tak ing — tuition money — from the Poor (students) to fight (get this!) AGAINST an anti-sex discrimination lawsuit brought by women faculty members against the system. The intricacies of law are beyond my simple mind. All I know is, the reaction in my stomach when I first read about this is not unlike the feeling I get when I hear a friend has been assaulted. But on closer examination, this is of course different; not only women, but all students, are getting assaulted. This whole fiasco has some wonderful lessons (Students, take note: This will be on your final): It exposes how much power students have over what they paid tuition for — learning (?!) And shows us that the ideals of Academe are for students to learn from higher ups who flout the same. To you ail, a Happy New Year! Let's celebrate by toasting the prosperity of our Philadelphia lawyer buddies, and May the Force Be With You! Daniel Woo Not a student, thank God! Brainwashed From Christmas Eve to Jan. 1 (less than two weeks), 1,000 people died in automobile crashes. More than half of these fatalities were caused by drunk drivers. Not only did a thousand Americans die during the holi day season of 1984, but many thousands who survived can now look forward to a future of never being able to move again, and many will be blind due to head injuries or eyes being gouged or poked out by flying objects during the accident. And while many people will be burying their loved ones this week, the alcohol industry will be counting its profits! The alcohol industry saturates our country with ads aimed at brainwashing our peo ple into thinking alcohol con sumption is fun, the only way to liven up a party or to have a romantic evening. Their high priced ads on television and in the print media feature young models and athletes drinking away. The message is that drinking is "the in thing to do.” Unfortunately, the ads never show people dying of any number of diseases caused by alcohol, children deformed because their mothers drank while pregnant, hospital rooms with injured people and morgues where the personnel have the awful task of re assembling mangled body parts after accidents occur. I wonder why, don’t you? After all, aren’t all aspects of drinking equally as glamorous and exciting? Michael Cross History, Political Science Anti-Apartheid How do you spell Apartheid? Answer: S-L-A-V-E-R-Y!!!!!! Robert Botta Graduate History L-_: .111 10H ^
