Friday, March 15, 1985
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 86, Number 120
Classified staff
will press state
for salary hike
By Michael Hosmar
Of the Emerald
Classified employees at the University will get an 8
percent salary increase beginning in July, if their
tentatively-settled union contract meets approval by the
Legislature.
The Oregon Public Employees Union contract asks
for a 6 percent-per year increase in insurance contribu
tions for the state employees as well. About 1,000
OPEU members work at the University, including
library personnel, clerical workers, and Physical Plant
employees.
The increase is designed to help union employees
stay abreast of the inflation rate, said Donna Glathar,
union district representative for higher education. But
the increase does not make up for losses employees ex
perienced when salaries were frozen three years ago,,
she said at a special contract settlement meeting Thurs
day in the EMU Forum.
The union negotiated the contract with the state
labor relations division, and the agreement is now sub
ject to approval by rank-and-file union members and .
the Legislature.
Glathar said the contract was.settled earlier than in
years past because “we knew money was an issue, so
we put it on the table early. ”
“If we can get an 8 percent (salary) increase when
Weyerhaeuser is taking a 30 percent cut, we're doing
OK.” she said.
However, legislators have already said the state has
no money to fund such increases. Even worse, Glathar
said, lobbyists have been asking the Legislature for in
creases in basic education “at the expense" of the
union's requests.
Kurt Willcox, OPEIJ business agent, said that even
though the union has settled on a tentative contract, the
pay increases are not assured. Union members should
turn their attention to the Legislature to make certain
money for the increases is appropriated.
In its campaign to lobby the Legislature. Willcox
t said the union will argue the following:
•The union’s request for higher pay is “extremely
reasonable," in light of the two-year pay freeze and a
postponed wage increase when the state was facing
financial difficulties.
•It is unfair and counterproductive for state pro
grams to fund pay increases using money from laid off
employees’ salaries.
•The ur' n has low fringe benefit costs because it
has been a leader in containing health benefit costs.
On a planned “lobby day" in early April, Willcox
said union members will march streets near the Capitol
in Salem to let the legislators know how important the
contract is to union members. “The state owes you
something," he said.
Union members will vote on the tentative contract,
and results should be out by April 1.
r
Board votes to trade bowline for bytes
By Scott McFetridge
Of the Emerald
The EMU Board voted Thursday to
support the transformation of the older
EMU bowling alley into a student com
puter center, and endorsed the general
wording for a ballot measure that will
request funding for the proposed
change.
The number of computers available
to students cannot meet the high de
mand, said Kevin Lewis, a member of
the bowling alley subcommittee. He
said the bowling alley, located east of
the recreation center, is rarely used and
costs $16,000 a year to maintain.
Although preliminary plans called
for the installment of 100 computers in
to the proposed center, board members
indicated that this number was pro
bably too high.
The computer center would be com
pletely funded by students, either
through incidental fees or a user fee,
Lewis said. If the costs were covered by
incidental fees, a ballot measure re
questing funds would have to be placed
on the ASUO primary election ballot,
he said.
Although the board agreed to sup
port the creation of the computer
center, they did not decide on how the
center would be funded.
Adam Apalategui, a member of the
EMU Board and the Incidental Fee
Committee, said that the IFC is strongly
opposed to any more student
subsidized programs. The IFC would
not approve a ballot measure asking
that student incidental fees be used to
fund such a project, he said.
If the IFC does not approve a request
from the EMU Board to place the
measure on the spring ballot, the
measure would have to be approved by
the ASUO Executive or by petition.
The bowling alley subcommittee
hopes to remove the pin setters and
contract an architect to design the in
terior of the area by fall term. Lewis
said.
Also at the meeting, the board ap
proved what EMU assistant director
Frank Geltner called a “wish list” for
the EMU dining areas. The list is need
ed so the University Planning Depart
ment can submit a list to the 1987
Legislature for future projects, Geltner
said.
Senators do their homework
Bob Wairus (r.), Senate Education Committee administrator, discusses University research
facilities and their future potential with Sen.- Margie Hendriksen, D-Eugene, and other committee
members during a Thursday tour. Legislators also met. with University President Paul Olum and other
officials. •• ~
. .. • Photo by Steven Wall
Assault charges to be aired : \
Beta hearings begin April 2
By Julie Shippen
Of Um Emerald
’ University officials have sch&d tiled a week of for
mal hearings to examine charges against Beta Theta Pi •
fraternity and six individuals directly’or indirectly con
nected to the alleged assault of'former University stu
dent Rob Seyler on Oct. 28. ^ '
Hearings begin April 2 at /p.m. in Room 167 EMU
and will be open to the public, said Virginia Boushey,
University conduct coordinator.
Eugene police officers found Seyler naked and un
conscious outside a sorority house the morning of Oct.
28. Seyler claims he was robbed, beaten, stripped and
abandoned that night by members of the Beta house
and/or visitors following a social function there.
Boushey said charges will be heard against three
individuals involved in the case, three representative
officers of the fraternity and the fraternity itself. She
could not release the specific charges against those
involved.
“We have viewed this as a serious case, one that
heeds to be addressed and resolved,” she added.
Bill Kittredge, director of the Office of Student Ad
vocacy, said four student defenders from his office have '
been appointed to represent four of the defendants.
. Eugene attorney Douglas Haldane, who is
representing Seyler, said he will file a formal lawsuit
following the outcome of the University’s hearing.
Haldane said he needs more substantial evidence,
. which should come out at the hearing.
The Interfraternity Council’s tribunal board met
last month to hear charges against the fraternity, said
Greg Van Dyke, board chair. Van Dyke said the house’s
members were found guilty of serving alcohol to
minors and allowing uninvited guests, to attend the
function. ’ .
Beta members are on “suspended conduct proba
tion” for social activities until fall and must complete
10 hours of community service work per member by the
end of spring term, Van Dyke said.