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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1987)
Editorial Drug-testing opinion will ease controversy The University is referring the legal controversy sur rounding the Athletic Department’s new drug-testing policy to the Oregon State Attorney General, seeking a formal opi nion on issues raised by opponents of the policy. Seeking such an opinion is a logical step in the ongoing debate surrounding the policy, and we applaud the ad ministration for taking this step. Opponents and supporters of the policy are basically deadlocked at this point, and the possiblity of the questions raised ending up in a lawsuit are unacceptably high. Thus it is beneficial to seek mediation from an off-campus source, the attorney general. It was also wise for the adminstration to use the sugges tions of the ACLU and the ASUO Office of Student Ad vocacy, the chief opponents of the policy, in formulating the questions sent to the attorney general. A key issue is whether formal rule-making process guidelines apply to the implementation of the program. We hope the attorney general believes the program, which has severe implications for athletes’ educations and civil rights, is distinct from other participation and training re quirements, which have not been put through the formal rule-making process. The request also asks for opinions on the constitutional issues rasied, such as whether the consent forms every athlete must sign are valid, and whether participating in athletics is a right or a privilege. Hopefully, the attorney general will uphold students’ rights in regards to these ques tions as well. We stress our earlier position that while the University is dealing with questions surrounding the policy, the policy should be temporarily suspended for those athletes who feel it is a violation of their rights. That suggestion is even more feasible now, because such a suspension would have a fairly clear duration — six to eight weeks for the attorney general to develop his opinion — and a clear resolution. Furthermore, if the attorney general’s opinion holds that the policy or its implementation is im proper, the University will face additional liability if the opinion supports athletes’ objections. In the interest of fairness to athletes who are directly af fected by the questions going to the attorney general, let the athletes play while the questions are being resolved. Resolution is badly needed in this case; asking for the attorney general’s opinion is an honest and welcome at tempt to resolve the controversy surrounding the drug testing policy. Y Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office, Suite 300, EMU. miME PRESIDENT WERE REAtVTO IOOKPX HIS BUDGET PR0R9SAIS Letters Alleviate woes I noticed in Friday’s letters that Jeff Selis is frustrated with our arena-style scheduling (ODE, Jan. 9). The Mowing step-by-step process should alleviate such w'oes. 1) Spring. ’87: Get your packet and put it in your backpack. Go to Ixist Packets and pretend that you’ve lost your packet. Proceed to schedule in the spring with that newly-made packet. 2) Fall, ’88: Retrieve last spr ing’s original packet from your backpack and pre-schedule with it as if it were for the fall. Here's where you avoid the rush as you can select your courses as early in the afternoon of the first day of scheduling as you wish. 3) Fall, ’88: When you’re free to collect your actual fall packet, do so; then proceed to retrace your steps of earlier that day or the previous day. 4) Fall, ’88: When told that the classes that you wish to select are full, simply show them that you are indeed on the list and that they forgot to stamp your packet. Some final notes. It’s impor tant to pretend when called upon, but try not to overdo it. It Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Dally 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 Erb 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 Susan Thelen Production Manager Wayne Lottinville Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur/ Sales Manager Teresa Acosta. Brent Collins. Beryl Israel. Janelle Heit mann, Laura Goldstein. Catherine Lilja, Rick Martz, Joseph Menzel, Peter Miller. Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686-5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Assistant Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michaet Rivers Curtis Condon Stephen Maher James Young Michael Drummond Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm Lorraine Rath Chris Norred Jolayne Houtz Shawn Wirtz Chris Norred Stan Nelson Sarah Kitchen Tonnie Dakin Dennis Fernandes Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Mary Courtis, Karen Creighton, Gary Henley. Carolyn Lamberson, John McBarron Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren. ShuShmg Chen, Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo, James Marks, Dan Wheeler, Michael Wilhelm Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Elizabeth Asher, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu Shing Chen, Janet Emery, Lisa Haggerty. Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason. Mike McGraw. Rob Miles, Angie Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid White, X Kang Xie helps to even look a little con fused. Learn how to roll with the punches of bureaucracy. Register drunk. Tim )aques Senior Change major Michael Cross should change his major to creative writing. He has style and a vivid imagina tion when it comes to defining terms such as '‘Darwinism”, "evolutionary” and "secular.” To aid the unwary who might accidently take him seriously: Darwinism is a theory of biological and not social change. Attempts to apply theories formulated for the physical sciences to the social sciences generally result in some fairly strained analogies at best. Furthermore, extinction due to maladaptation is the natural result of a particular evolu tionary trend; to call it “anti evolutionary” is absurd. While Cross’s notion of “secular” seems a bit odd, his suggestion that "secularism” is genetically transmitted is truly novel. Finally, I would like to point out that the secular adherents of many of the world’s major religions stand a better chance of reproducing than non-secular members, as many of the latter are required to (or voluntarily) practice celibacy. Hiawatha Graduate, music Thank you Sunday, Jan. 11, 1987 will always hold bitter-sweet memories for me. 1 was in a very serious auto accident on Highway 126 near Cedar Mats; had it not been for my wearing a seat belt, 1 would not be here today. Please think twice about whether to buckle up when traveling. The people 1 encountered were all wonderful: the emergency ward staff at Eugene Clinic, the owners of the pro perty on which I crashed, .friends, and family. Thank you all for your kindness, sensitivity and support. 1 would like to thank in par ticular the two men who helped me right after the crash. When the first man said he smelled gas and I was trapped inside, he must have sensed my panic and began to calm me. He was very encouraging as he pulled me from the wreckage and checked my injuries. He assured me 1 was going to be okay, and he helped prevent me from becoming hysterical. If you’re reading this — thank you so much, you’ll never know how much it meant to me. The second man who rushed me to the hospital was also great. His training as a special education instructor at Spr ingfield High School must have directed him to keep me awake and distract me from the pain and realization of what had hap pened. Thank you for your in sight and compassion. People who say that goodwill in humankind is lost are wrong. To all the wonderful people who assisted me on that terrible day, thank you so very much. Karen Stone Education Faithfully Much as I admire Sean Ax maker as a film reviewer — something I can say of very few others in the same field — I think he should perhaps give credit where credit is due. His review “The Mosquito Coast” (ODE Jan. 8) seems to ig nore Paul Theroux’s extraor dinary novel, which was transferred faithfully — strengths and weaknesses — to the screen in Peter Weir’s direc tion of Paul Schrader’s screenplay. Michael E. Stamm Graduate secretary, English department
