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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1987)
Editorial IFC loan to preschool should be put on hold The Westmoreland Cooperative Preschool raised some eyebrows last week when it submitted a request for a $400 emergency loan — and two days later requested an addi tional $129 — from the University’s Incidental Fee Committee. These requests raise some serious questions as to whether the IFC should even be funding loans for private in stitutions and whv the loan is needed in the first olace. The state notified the preschool late last year that it has owed back taxes since 1982. The current curriculum co ordinator and the president of the preschool maintain that they thought the school was exempt from taxation. Although this turned out to be true for 1982. it was not ex empt for the years following, hence the reason for its finan cial troubles now. The fact that the preschool did not know it owed taxes illustrates glaring mismanagement and negligence. Each year the school elects new officers who help make decisions for the preschool. Westmoreland holds these year ly elections because most of the parents who use the preschool’s services are University students, and there is a high turnover rate. While the yearly elections are good in and of themselves, they an; also part of the problem because tin; preschool lacks any management continuity. We do not doubt the preschool's ability to provide quality day care, and Westmoreland’s curriculum coordinator, and its presi dent are not completely to blame for the preschool's current tax woes. But they could have demonstrated greater finan cial foresight and responsibility. Our suggestion to Westmoreland is that it establishes a permanent position for someone in charge of the preschool’s finances, or at the very least hire a temporary consultant. Not only is the preschool’s management questionable, so too is its request for an IPC loan. and. more importantly, whether the IFC intends to lend the money. Westmoreland was to receive $959 from the IFC for the current fiscal year, but the preschool is not an accredited day-care institution recognized by the state, so serious liability questions must be answered before Westmoreland ever receives that money. The IFC was correct in holding that money up. for the University may be partly liable in the unfortunate event of an injury, or something of a similar nature, while a child is at the preschool. While the question of liability still remains unresolved, the preschool’s request for the $529 emergency loan should also be put on hold. Moreover, “emergency loan" may be somewhat of a loaded term. The preschool has already paid $150 of its overdue taxes, and all indications show that the preschool is capable of paying off the remainder. University students would in effect be subsidizing Westmoreland's tax payments if the IFC were to fund this loan. We believe this totally falls outside the IFC's jurisdic tion. The fact remains that the Westmoreland Cooperative Preschool is a private organization whose only ties to the University are the preschool’s 20 pupils whose parents are University students. The IFC would do better to expand and improve day care facilities and faculty here on campus, rather than put itself in the business of funding private child-care centers. &ca*svmwi matter Letters New group The staff of the Oregon Daily Emerald should l>e very proud of their newspaper. The articles are very well-written, non haised and extremely profes sionally presented. When I was interviewed on behalf of the Westmoreland Cooperative Preschool. I was very pleased. However, when I read the results of that interview in print (ODE. )an. 15). I was very distressed. In December 1986, the preschool was notified by the State of Oregon regarding taxes in arrears. This situation was unknown to tin; present organization, and I feel that the word “we” was used carelessly throughout the entire article. The organization at the time the errors were made is the responsible party, not the pre sent. The Westmoreland Cooperative Preschool parent council is currently trying to resolve this situation to the best of its ability, which by the way has not been an easy task! Also, when contacting the In cidental Fee Committee regar ding help and resources on our 1986-87 school year funds, it was never once mentioned to the present organization regar ding the budget “note" which has frozen funds allocated for 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 o» 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 Michael 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 Liija. 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 Assistant 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 Michael Rivers Curtis Condon Stephen Maher James Young Michael Drummond Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm John Giustina Lorraine Rath Stan Nelson 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, Scott Maben, Janet Paulson, B J Thomsen Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, ShuShing Chen Maria Corvallis. Derrel Hewitt. Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler 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! Angelina Muniz, Julie Paul. Ingrid White, X Kang Xie the 1986-87 school year! Furthermore, as head teacher and curriculum coordinator for the preschool. 1 am hired to teach young children, not to assume any financial respon sibilities to the school or for the school. I was asked by a former parent council member to research the problem and come up with a solution, which is ex actly what 1 did. It saddens me that in a time of need, an innocent group of peo ple trying to make up for an er ror made years ago under another group and organization (a group of people not even available for comment), should 1m; exploited in such an inap propriate way. Julie McFarland Head teacher. Curriculum coordinator Pay raises The faculty at Oregon's higher education institutions are asking the Legislatue for a significant salary increase in order to bring them in line with faculty at other similar institutions. Classified employees also need an increase in pay for the same reason and also because certain jobs within the current wage structure are not compen sated equally with other jobs demanding comparable skill and experience. We also need to consider that the state, which includes our system of higher education, is one of Oregon’s largest employers. Therefore, it follows that a healthy wage scale for state employees will contribute directly to a healthy economy for the state. In order to accomplish the ob jective of pay equity, we need to put our case before the Legislature as they begin to decide where to allocate available funding. A rally in support of pay equity is set for Saturday, Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. on the steps of the State Capitol Building. All classified employees are urged to attend. A bus will be leaving Kugene at 9 a m.. People will also be forming car pools for the rally. If you would like to attend or would like more information, you may contact Lisa Sieracki at 686-3056 or 343-8242. Susan E. Cook Staff Victims Jan. 22 is the 14th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that gave women the right to abort their children at any time during pregnancy. The effects of that decision have been felt by us all. While 20 million in nocent victims have paid the ultimate price with their lives, society as a whole has paid as well. With talk of “unwanted children” and how they should be disposed of. we have seen the rise of a new generation of young people. Children who have been taught that the shed ding of innocent blood should not stand in the way of self gratification. Avoiding respon sibility for one’s actions has gone from being reprehensible to respectable in little over a decade. We heard talk of eliminating child abuse by “making every child a wanted child.” What we got was a ballooning child abuse rate, hardly a surprising by-product of a policy of violence towards our young. Life, once sacred in itself, now gains worth only through the assesment of others. Un wanted equals worthless. We have become faced with the in evitable as each year many han dicapped infants are legally ‘‘allowed’’ to die by withholding medical treatment. The American Medical Association has taken the next step by ruling that food and water are now considered “medical treatments.” A chill ing message is sent to the han dicapped among us. The elderly are surely next. It is time to change the violent path we have taken. While it is too late for 20 million, our society can still be saved. Jeff Hoyt Junior, accounting
