Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1985)
Grad changes See Page 5a Oregon daily emerald Wednesday, May 8, 1985 Eugene, Oregon Volume 86, Number 149 University financial aid awards reduced By Scott McFetridge Of the Emerald AH University students receiving financial aid will have their awards cut by $1,000 because of a dramatic increase in. financial aid applications. The Office of Student Financial Aid has the same amount of money for the 1985-86 school year as this year, but there has been a 30 percent increase in eligible financial aid applicants, said Ed Vignoul, director of financial aid. "We had a choice,” Vignoul said. "Cut everybody off except those eligible for $4,200 or more," or cut back on all financial aid awards. If money was not cut from all awards, at least 1,700 students eligible for some financial aid would not be funded at all, Vignoul said. The financial aid department will award $14.3 million to University students next year. Vignoul has sent a letter to all eligible applicants recommending they consider applying for a Guaranteed Student Loan. Those who complete and return a form printed below the letter will be sent GSL application material in June. The GSL will be the only option for students who are eligible for less than $1,300, Vignoul said. About 93 percent of GSL applicants are awarded the loans, and unless students have "horrendous credit records,” those who need the loans should receive them, Vignoul said. It is up to the students to fill the $1,000 gap, Vignoul said. A GSL should work for many students, but some may have to find part-time work to supple ment their financial aid, he said. "We want to ensure that everybody has the oppor Graphic by Hank Trotter tumty to attend the University who has the motiva tion,” Vignoui said. ‘‘We wish we had more money, but we’re not going to come up with an extra $4.5 million.” Applications were low enough last year so that all those who met the March 1 deadline were given the amount they were eligible for, Vignoui said, adding that he doesn’t know why financial aid applications have increased so dramatically this year. “We would hope that many more people are in terested in the University,” Vignoul said. Or it could be that “more and more people need assistance.” Whatever the reason for the increase in applicants, the money being awarded to students is not going as far as it did several years ago, he said. Since 1981-82 there has been a 15 percent decline in real dollars available to financial aid recipients, Vignoul said. While the cost of living has increased in the last several years, available financial aid has re mained the same, he said. Political science head takes leave of absence By Kirsten Bolin Of the Emerald After 21 years at the University. Harmon Zeigler, political science department head, is taking an official leave of absence for one year begin ning July 1. Zeigler is accepting a professorship at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The position was created when Philip Phibbs, a UPS alumni, left money to attract a prominent political scientist to the university. Zeigler. 49, began his career at the University as an associate professor in 1964. He became a full professor in 1969 and political science head in 1982. “I’ve spent my most productive years here,” Zeigler said. Zeigler admitted to having mixed emotions about his decision, but he said the economic conditions at the University have become so ominous that he felt a move was necessary. “I would have never ventured out except that I was terrified of Proposi tion 2 passing,” Zeigler said. Proposi tion 2 was a tax limitation bill put before voters last November. “That would have devastated the University,” Zeigler said. “The state treats the University like a depart ment of public safety.” Zeigler said the University would not be able to compete with offers other universities have been making to University faculty members even if professors had received all of the salary increases allotted in the gover nor’s budget this year. Harmon Zeigler “We have a very distinguished faculty here, people that are interna tionally known for their research,” he said. “You can’t treat them like state police.” Zeigler said he is excited about his position at UPS and feels quite for tunate for the opportunity. “In a sense, it’s the culmination of a career to get an endowed chair — it doesn’t happen very often,” Zeigler said. “I’m looking forward to the freedom.” Arthur Hanhardt will take over as interim department head when Zeigler leaves. ASUO is planning to veto athletic department funds By Mary Lichtenwalner Of the Emerald The Incidental Fee Committee put the final touch on the athletic department’s 1985-86 budget Tuesday, but that may not be the last they see of it if the ASUO has its way. The ASUO intends to veto the 1985-86 athletic department budget, ASUO Presi dent Julie Davis said Tuesday. The IFC met with Davis, John Dreeszen, ASUO finance coordinator, and Chris Voelz, the department’s assis tant director, to consider the athletic department budget contract. The con tract included the provision that in cidental fees shall fund 50 percent of the expenses of men’s sports, excluding football and basketball, co-ed sports and women’s sports. That amount is not to exceed $653,009, a 7 percent increase from last year’s $602,439 budget. That $50,000 increase, plus a history of large athletic department budget in creases, are two reasons the ASUO seeks to veto the budget, Davis said. In 1980, the athletic department received a 75 percent increase in the budget; this and other annual increases have formed a trend, she said. The possibility that students are facing a tuition increase next year is another factor Davis cited. “There’s the sentiment that students are giving as much as they can,’’ she said. The contract negotiated assures that 199 student seats in McArthur Court’s “OO" section will be changed to 179 reserved ticket seats. The seating conver sion will help increase revenue in a sec tion that is not often filled, Voelz said. IFC member Lori Lieberman said the seats could be easily regained, once stu dent attendance rises. Davis, however, said the ASUO Executive is “dismayed” at the prospect of giving up seats. “Our argument is that it’s valuable floor space, and we’ll have a hard time regaining them (the seats) in the future,” Davis said. A $54 sports pass will be available to students that will admit them to all games in eight sports throughout the year, including football, gymnastics, wrestling, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball, and track and field. Voelz said the package is “something new,” a compromise to help increase revenue. Davis said that the veto is not a reac tion to Voelz’s handling of the athletic budget but rather to the historic trends the department has followed, as well as the seating conversion. “Chris Voelz has really represented the athletic department well; she has been fair. She sought the best com promise she could find,” Davis said. “The athletic department is a window on the University,” she added. “That has a definite impact on the school’s im age on the state.” As soon as the budget is officially transmitted to the ASUO Executive, the ASUO will have three days to approve or veto the budget, said Bob Mead, IFC chair. The IFC will then consider the budget and resubmit it to the ASUO. If the ASUO does not approve it, the budget will be submitted to University President Paul Olum. If the budget is still unsatisfactory, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education will consider it.