editorial
Now is not the time
for an Autzen dome
The arguments for the construction of a dome on Autzen
Stadium are very attractive. Many Duck fans have suffered
through cold autumn football games plagued by rain at the
18-year-old stadium. It can be an unpleasant experience,
especially if the Ducks are losing.
A domed stadium would allow fans the opportunity to
enjoy a game in an artificially controlled environment.
A dome would also make it easier for University football
coach Rich Brooks to recruit young football prospects. It
would show potential recruits that the University is commit
ted to supporting its sports program.
An Autzen dome would also improve attendance at
Duck football and basketball games, increasing the athletic
department's overall revenues.
But the cost of placing a dome on Autzen is estimated to
be $15 million. The dome’s supporters claim the project will
be funded totally through private donations.
Can the Eugene-Springfield community, which is suf
fering through a severe economic recession, afford such a
project? We are skeptical.
University President Paul Olum fears that donations
given to the dome project would deplete the amount of
money traditionally donated to University academics. He is
afraid that there is just so much money available from an
nual private donations, and to tap these sources for the con
struction of a dome would hurt rather than help the
University.
We agree.
me university currently nas many needs. Many ot our
campus buildings are suffering the effects of old age. There
are cracks in the walls of PLC, Gilbert Hall often floods with
the winter rains, and the desks in Chapman, Condon and
Fenton are ancient and often unusable.
The University library is ranked among the lowest in the
nation for major research libraries. Good, quality faculty are
daily leaving the University because they are tired of ex
tremely low pay and poor research facilities.
The lawns often go unwatered in the summer because
the University does not have enough money to properly
maintain them. And the University cannot afford to provide
safe and adequate parking facilities for people who must use
cars.
Sure, a dome on Autzen would be nice. It would un
doubtedly improve our athletic program. But the University
has higher, more tangible priorities.
The University Foundation, which is the University’s
fund-raising arm, claims that people who would donate
money to a dome project would not, in any other case, make
donations to the University. We hope the foundation's direc
tors are correct.
Nevertheless, the plight of the Eugene Hilton and the
Hult Center for the Performing Arts show there is a limited
amount of money in the Eugene economy. Both were built
with promises that the local economy would greatly benefit
from these structures. Instead, the operators of the Hilton are
currently battling a foreclosure attempt by First Interstate
Bank of Oregon, and the city of Eugene has had to cover the
Hult Center's million-dollar deficit.
The money just isn’t out there, and the University can’t
afford to gamble that it is. Now is not the time to build a
dome, maybe it will be in five years, maybe in 10, but not
now.
If a dome project depletes the pool of money available
for the University’s other needs, the University will suffer
much more than it will benefit from a dome.
Oregon doily
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
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letters
Unfair
Whether non-smokers like it
or not, there is a smoking
population at this university.
i agree that you have rights to
breathe relatively clean air. but
there is room for all of us. 1 will
agree to not smoke in your
space, if you will agree to pro
vide me with a place to smoke,
study and be comfortable.
I am assuming that there have
been complaints about the
smoking in the Fishbowl, since
I arrived on Tuesday morning to
find “No Smoking" signs
posted everywhere. But simply
kicking us out is no answer.
Perhaps a few fans in strategic
locations could ease the
problem.
Or — provide us with another
room. The two areas allowed to
us now have many problems.
The area by the cafeteria is very
small, totally unventilated, and
a passageway through which
everyone — even non-smokers
— must pass. And. there are no
smaller tables for more private
studying; Th.e booths in the
Skylight area .is also a smoking
area — however, getting a table
there is next to impossible.
My suggestion is that either
adjustments be made to make
the Fishbowl comfortable for
both groups, or that the non
smokers get the entire main
floor, and smoking be allowed
in the upstairs area that in
cludes the Skylight and Refec
tory.
I’m sure this doesn't exhaust
the possibilities.
Kathy Mason
Eugene
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False ads?
Thursday May 16 — Emerald
Supplement advertised on page
11B - "The Folk Tradition
Continues..." next to last
paragraph reads. "All events
are free and open to. anyone."
On the last page of the same
supplement — "First Annual
Willamette Valley Folk Festival
— Free Admission East Lawn,
EMU."
Also in the same classified
ads: "Willamette Valley Folk
Festival May 17-19. East lawn.
EMU — LeRoi Brothers. Pan
casan (from Nicaragua), etc....
and much, much more! It's all
free!" In the same edition of the
Emerald in the Classified ads:
"Check this Action! 3rd Annual
Outdoor Beer Garden — Friday
May 17th with The LeRoi
Brothers from Austin. Texas —
Ticket $1.50,"
What do all these ads have in
common?
The 15th annual free and
open Willamette Valley "Folk
Festival on the East lawn of the
EMU, On or before. Thursday.
May 19. .1985, the Cultural
Forum, which sponsored the
Willamette, Folk Festival,
received permission from
A d e 11 e M c M i 11 a n , ad
ministrative controller (direc
tor) of the EMU, and the depart
ment of campus secret security
to allow the fencing off of the
entire East lawn of the EMU
(normally an open pulic access
area) Friday night May 20. for
an alcoholic beer garden that
cost $1.50 and required iden
tification (minimum age 21),
with officers not allowing en
trance to anyone without
identification.
This was supposedly a free
event, open to all ages on public
(state) property.
Besides the question of false
advertising, are student in
cidental fees used to support
these alcoholic events? Didn't
Paul Olum refuse to allow the
sale of alcoholic beverages at
school events, just last year?
What is University policy on
the use or misuse of public land
(this university), by student
groups, non-profit organiza
tions, city, state or federal
employees?
What should one surmise
from this experience — that the
University’s main purpose in
land use is not educational, but
financial? What is State of
—---—-:—. •
Oregon land use policy toward
public access of our state,
universities? How much leeway
do university (public) officials
have in administering these
■ rules?
Richard Gold
Senior
It figures
Reading Douglas Pyle's com
plaints about the Portland State
Vanguard’s, hiring practices
reminded me of my experience
as musical director of the
[University summer 1984 pro
duction of Side By Side by Son:
dheim. reviewed by Mr. Pyle In"
the July 19. 1984 edition of the
Emerald.
Though the show was a
musical review. with no social
statements except those ex
pressed by Sondheim himself in
the songs, the review (of the
play) was titled "Play is not
sensitive in dealing with gays."
Mr. Pyle then proceeded to
devote ' .11 out of 16 total
paragraphs of his review to an
alleged bigs' in this production
against gays, even though we
presented the songs and script
as they were provided to us by
the publisher.
Mr. Pyle appeared to be so
blinded by his awn. stance on
this -issue that he failed = to
research Steven Sondheim's
own avowed sexual preference,
which would have confirmed
the fallacy of Pyle's contention
that the show was anti-gay.
It seems to me that a reviewer
of a performance who is so
unable to set aside his own
viewpoint that he grossly
misinterprets the meaning and
tone of a harmless, non
controversial show such as Side
by Side deserves the type of*
questioning described in the re
cent Emerald article.
I urge the Emerald to consider
his application for editor with
this in mind.
Johnathan Mansfield
Music
Letters Policy
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print all letters containing fair
comment on topics of interest to
the University community.
letters to the editor must be
limited to 250 words, typed,
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the writer must be verified when
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Emerald reserves the right to edit
any letter for length or style. Let
ters to the editor should be turn
ed into the Emerald office. Suite
300, EMU.