Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, May 01, 1986, Page 2, Image 2

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    Editorial
No more increases
for college athletics
Oregon is the only state in the Pac-10 conference that
does not use state revenue to support intercollegiate
athletics.
Last week the student voters of the University turned
down two measures that would have increased student fees
to support athletics.
The state and the students should continue to
discourage the use of additional public resources to support
intercollegiate athletics. Colleges and universities must
recognize the nonessential nature of athletics and make fun
ding decisions accordingly.
There is nothing inherently wrong with combining
academics and athletics. Intercollegiate and intramural
athletics as competitive, entertaining recreation between
amateurs is healthy.,
Such activities give stuaems a cnance 10 engage in en
joyable extracurricular activities that build skills, encourage
teamwork and provide entertainment.
The problem is a combination of high cost and the
special status of student athletes. The state cannot afford to
spend more on athletics. The University, too. must keep
athletics — and the needs of athletes — in perspective.
Universities try to operate the equivalent of semi
professional training schools and franchises. Some schools
with access to vast financial resources and enormous donor
bases are able, for better or worse, to do this. Oregon cannot.
The University is trying to raise $20-22 million to dome
Autzen Stadium, but cannot find $400,000 each year to pro
vide basic support for women’s athletics.
We support doming the stadium with private funds as a
way to provide more long term revenue for athletics, but we
caution the University not to seek or rely on more public or
student funds to support athletics.
The Athletic Department should raise money by reduc
ing spending of both public and private money for special
support programs for athletes. This may allow better fun
ding for women’s programs, and will help return student
athletes to amateur status, where they belong.
No university — including ours — should make special
academic, financial, housing or other support available to
athletes or their programs.
At this university, intercollegiate athletics is supported
mainly through private donations and ticket sales, with a
small portion of the budget coming from student activity
fees. This is the proper detached status for an athletic
epartment at an academic institution. ■
The University community must make sure student
ithletes always are treated fairly — no differently than other
students.
If amateur athletes getting no special perks cannot at
tract enough private donations and ticket sales to sustain a
top-quality athletics program, so be it.
If students, donors and ticket-buyers are unwilling to
pay more, then administrators must recognize this and ac
cept limitations on the future of University athletics.
Athletics administrators may have to choose between
quality and quantity of sports. Quality brings recognition,
visibility and opportunities for outstanding student athletes.
Quantity brings more student participation and the ability to
remain in the Pac-10 and NCAA.
If the choice must be made, choose quantity. The people
of Oregon and the University cannot pay for quality across
the board.
Oregon Daily
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 University
with offices on the third floor of the Ed> Memorial Union
and is a member of the Associated Press.
The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal
or use of papers is prosecutable by law.
General Staff
Advertising Director
Production Manager
Classified Advertising
Assistant to the Publisher
Susan Thelen
Russell H. Steele
Vince Adams
Jean Ownbey
Advertising Sales David Wood Sales Manager, John
Boiler, Jessica Cederberg, Michael Gray, Laura Goldstein
Robin Joanmdes, Carlos Lam ad rid, Marcia Leonard.
Shawn Leuthold, Catherine Lilia, Shawna Reed, Kathy
Stein, Joan Wildermuth, Laura Willoughby.
Production Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Lynne Casey,
Shu-Shing Chen, Ellen Cross, Stormi Dykes, Manuel
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Peterson, Geoff Rainville, Michele Ross, Alyson Sim
mons, Gregory Tipps
Awaiting reply
Mr.. Blake Louis Sliter:
This Greek apologizes for not
playing your silly little game. I
suppose we Greeks have been
too busy flunking out of school,
raping our dates at parties and
undermining community vitali
ty to fret over the attempts of "a
fucking narrow-minded son-of
a-bitch" (excuse me?) to pro
voke our violent, primitive and
uncontrollable passions.
Really now, Mr. Sliter. Con
sider your statements. Greeks
have been listening to charges
such as yours for years. But if
you look around yourself, you
see not only that we're still
here, but that we're also getting
stronger every day. We’re ob
viously doing something right.
You have a fine, progressive,
liberal education. Mr. Sliter.
Why don’t you put it to use by
experimenting with a new ap
proach to the Greek condition?
Examine closely the ways in
which Greeks (in your twisted
logic) harm the community: the
Greek Days of Giving, Sigma
Chi Derby Days, the Greek
Volunteer Bureau. Delta Gam
ma Anchor Splash and the
numerous other philanthropies
and charity drives sponsored by
Greek organizations.
If you like, comment on those
Editor
Managing Editor
News Editor
Editorial Page Editor
Assistant Editorial Page Editor
Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Friday Edition Editor
Sidelines Editor
Night Editor
Julte Shippen
Michelle Brence
Jolayne Houtz
Alan Contreras
Scott Harding
Robert Collies
James Marks
Sheila Landry
Allan Lazo
Jolayne Houtz
Associate Editors
Community/Politics
Higher Education
Student Activities
Student Government
University Affairs
General Assignment
Paul Sturtz
Andrew LaMar
Chris Norred
Stan Nelson
Kirsten Bolin
Mike Rivers
Reporters Tony Ahern. Sean Axmaker, Dan Coran, Kim
Kaady, Capi Lynn, Amy Moss. Chuck Thompson, B.J
Thomsen
Photographers Lynne Casey. Shu-Shing Chen, Maria Cor
vallis, Steve Gibbons, Oerrel Hewitt, Ross Martin, Karen
Stallwood, Mike Wilhelm.
News and Editorial SM-6S11
Display Advertising and Business 6M-3712
Classified Advertising 686-4343
Production 686-4381
Circulation 686 5511
^Authorized person nel^&vv
i star wars RESf
1 TOP secret- ke^pML
Letters
aspects of Greek lifestyles. If
you fail to see the virtue in our
efforts, Mr. Sliter, then Pin
afraid the problem ties with
you. not us. I'm sure we’ll all be
waiting for your response with
great curiosity.
End of game.
Ric llgenfrttz
Journalism, Greek
Oluro w^uld "Manhattan Fni „
. ject" us nil the .-.way- lo -the
NCAA championship! v" ••
Then pu<>ple around the ra
tion would shake, .their heads )
and say. "those were the ---■
Docks?’* as they sort through.
the rubble. .
Tim laqiies
Math ,
Vote Larson
As you may know, primary
elections for l.arut County are
approaching us quickly. On
May 20, we. as citizens of lane
County^ have the privilege of
exercising our right to vote for
representatives and issues that
effect lane County.
Wishing to serve as. I^me
County Commissioner in
District 2 Is Christine Larson.
This nonpartisan position is for
a four-year term beginning in
lanuary of 1987, I feel she
would be the most effective per
son as Count y Comm issioner for
the following reasons:
t. She has six years of ex
perience on the Springfield City
Council and has been council
President id net; 1985.
2. She has knowledge of Cur
rent and longterm problems of
our area as a resident of Eugene
for twenty years
3. Sb has held representative
posit it on state and local
committees whore she has gain
ed the trust and confidence of
other community leaders.
4. She formally attended the
University of Oregon and
graduated from Southern
Oregon State College with a
Bachelor of Science in
Education.
I hope you will consider her
experience and commitment as
you make your choice for lane
County Commissioner. I sup*
port Christine Ijirson with the
confidence that she will do the
best )ob possible when address
ing issues and problems within
our county. I encourage you to
support her too.
Trade L. Rieker
Political Science
All mixed up
The People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA)
are up to their usual antics this
spring. Bringing their usual
lack of logic to the research
arena, they present a strong
argument against the use of
stupidity in very sophisticated
areas of human endeavor.
Their argument goes liku this
(I think);
We shouldn't test new drugs
on animals, because that isn't
nice. We should test new drugs
on people. No. that isn’t nice
either. We should not develop
new drugs; that is. we should
allow people to get sick and die
Hmnim. That’s not quite it.
We shouldn't lest animals to
learn about the limits of human
physiology. We don't need to
know any more about our
bodies. All medical research
should he done by computers.
Wait. I’m suddenly all mixed
up.
Sigh. Perhaps it's hopeless to
try to mimic the logical con
volutions of the PETA people.
However, their existence does
serve one vital role: we don't
need to use animal experimen
tation to determine the effects of
brain deprivation.
Rob Young
Senior
Earthshaking
We should change our mascot
from Donald Duck to Khadaffy
Duck. Then our sports teams
would "terrorize" the whole
PAC-10. And mavbe even Paul