Beyond War group believes war is obsolete
By Michael Rivera
Of lh« CiMttld
War is obsolete.
This statement is the underlying premise behind
the foundation of an organization called Beyond War.
Beyond War is an informal, nationwide organization
whose members espouse the belief that war is no longer
an option because a war would destroy the planet.
Tom Sermak. a local attorney and one of the foun
ding members of the local chapter, said the purpose of
the group is to work toward the elimination of the
nuclear problem.
"Our aim is to change people’s thinking about
ways to deal with conflict," he said.
The Eugene chapter was first formed during the
early part of 1983 by Richard and Stephanie Cleveland,
Sermak and other local individuals. The group recruits
now members by inviting them to "interest evenings"
that are held at the Eugene Public Library on the first
Monday of each month.
The meeting usually lasts about two hours, and
consists of films, group discussions and presentations
that are designed to dispel three illusions. Sermak said.
The illusions are "we can continue to war and survive,
’they’ won’t let nuclear war happen, and T don’t make
a difference,” he said.
Another activity that new members participate in
during the interest evening is the “BB experience,”
Sermak said. "It's an audio experience designed to
drive home the state of the world in terms of nuclear
weapons,” he said.
Kline describes the experience as being “very ef
fective.” Everyone present is asked to close their eyes,
she said. The speaker then drops a few metal pellets in
to a metal pan and compares the sound of the pellets to
the sound of the bomb in Hiroshima, she said. Next the
speaker drops pellets into a bucket for “what seems like
five minutes," describing the sound as the amount of
nuclear weapons currently possessed by the United
States, she said. v •••*.
“It was like, ‘Oh my God! How could we have
created all these things? Why did we do this? What is
the point in creating more bombs when what we have is
enough to destroy us anyway?’ " Kline said. .
°° ; •'* • »• ■ ' •:°£ .V •*;>-v>.V*\’* • '
Sermak said that individuals who attend an in
terest evening can follow it up with an orientation
series that explores what the.’’ ‘New Mode of Thinking’
is, what the decision process is for changing our mode
of thinking and how we can work together to* build a
world beyond war,” Sermak said. The series consists of
three sessions, and there is a small fee for materials.
Once individuals complete the orientation series,
they can attend a “vision weekend,” Sermak said. “It’s
a very emotional experience. We try to create a vision of
the capacity humanity has to change and the benefits
we stand to gain if we learn to resolve conflicts without
violence,” he said.
There are currently about 130 Eugene-area people
on the Beyond War mailing list. About 25 to 30 of them
are active members, Sermak said. There are also active
chapters in Portland, Salem, Corvallis, Grants Pass.
Medford and a new one in Roseburg, he said.
All members of the Beyond War organization share
a common interest in spreading the idea that war is ob
solete and no longer a viable option for dealing with
■» conflicts. But some members are also motivated on a
more personal level.
Betty Cleveland, whose son founded the Eugene
chapter, is one such persori. „ •
”i believe that Beyond War people are focusing in
on the most important issue of the day. I have 11 grand
children and would like to see a world they can.grow
up in. We can’t have any more wars,” Cleveland said.
---
Vice provost selected
after nationwide search
The University has named 1 .aw re me Fincher, chancellor
for academic administration at the University of North
Carolina, as its new vice provost for academic,
administration
Fincher is to replace Paul Civin. who retired Dee :tt. 1!W4.
and he will begin his new job on |ulv 1. said Ric hard Hill.
University provost
“Dr Fincher, who has almost 20 year* of experience in
the areas of institutional research and planning, will bring lo
our university a wide range of technical and analytical coin
pete nee that will be of great Importance in planning our
university's future." Hill said.
The appointment comes after the University conducted a
nationwide search that attracted about 65 applicants.
Aa vice provost, Fincher will supervise the University's
Office of Institutional Research, review and implement plans
for academic programs, coordinate plans for improving ad
ministrative and instructional computing, and review
various budgets..
Before working for UNO, Fincher worked for the Univer
sity of Michigan as assistant vice president for state relations
and associate vice president for academic affairs
Fincher has a master's degree in physics from Vanderbilt
University and a doctoral degree in higher education ad
ministration from the University of Michigan.
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Biology professor’s research
earns national science award
By Chris Norred
Of Ihr Kmrmlfl
A University professor has
received a national award for
research that could someday
provide a cure for paralysis.
(udith Eiseii, a 34-year-old
biology professor, received a
Presidential Young In
vestigative Award this vear for
her research on the develop
ment of the nervous system.
The awards are given each year
by the National Science Foun
dation to 50 individuals doing
outstanding scientific research.
Eisen hopes to discover the
mechanism that guides nerve
cells to make the correct con
tacts with muscle and sensory
cells during embryonic
development.
"Adult animals have an as
tounding nutnlrer of nerve cells.
There are over 10 billion in
humans, and they all have to
make the right contacts for the
organism to function properly,”
Kisen said
Understanding the
mechanism that guides nerve
cells could be medically useful
in the rehabilitation of injury
victims who lose the use or feel
ing of limbs. For example,
sometimes after a person's arm
is severely lacerated, the nervt
cells may not reconnect proper
ly, and the person may lose the
use nr sensation of the hand or
fingers.
“if we can understand how
(nerve cells) grow and make
connections during normal em
bryonic development, then
maybe we can help them to do it
later on in adult animals where
they don't seem to be able to do
it,” she said.
Kisen has spent the past two
and a half years at the Universi
ty studying nerve cells in em
bryonic development of the tiny
zebra fish
Candidates for the award are
nominated by colleagues at
their school. In order to be eligi
ble for the award, the can
didates must have a faculty
tenure position and a doctoral
degree earned between 1982
and January 1986.
(Candidates are judged on the
basis of original research and
ability as instructors, Eisen
said.
The award grants $25,000 per
year for five years to fund
Eisen’s research. In addition,
the award includes providing
funds to match donations or
grants from other private or
non-profit sources. The total
amount of matching funds
available is $100,000 each year
for five years.
University physics professor.
Steven kavan. also received one
of the awards. Kavan currently
is conducting research at the
Brookhaven National Institute
in New Jersey.
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