Editorial
Denial of USSA funds
was a wrong decision
After heated debate last night, the Incidental Fee Com
mittee voted four to two against providing funds for the
United States Student’s Association. The arguments against
USSA funding have merits, yet we believe the arguments for
funding the USSA are stronger — the IFC should have pro
vided the USSA its $9,000 request.
Rob Munion and James Randall, two outspoken IFC
members who were against funding the USSA, have criticiz
ed in no uncertain terms this national student lobbying
group as being detached from the University, and that it is
ineffective at promoting student needs on a local level.
Moreover, they citicize the USSA as having left-wing
political leanings, and argue that the organization fails to
adequately represent student interests at the University.
But Munion and Randall’s charges are in themselves
politically motivated. Both are conservatives, and they
believe that because the USSA’s University representatives
are Students for a Progressive Agenda members, admittedly
a liberal entity, that the USSA itself is liberal-minded.
What they fail to see, however, is that the University’s
representatives are not the sole voice of the USSA. The lob
bying group is a nationwide coalition of student interests,
and its agenda is decided by college students from around
the country. If the USSA agenda can be interpreted as
liberal, so be it.
As for claims that the USSA is detached from University
students, the evidence indicates otherwise. The USSA
directly affocts 4.5 million students nationwide, which in
cludes our University students.
The USSA helped pressure Congress not to make cuts in
Pell Grants, an effort that unfortunately was unsuccessful.
The USSA similarly failed in its attempts to block congres
sional redefinition of independent student status. But it was
successful in modifying provisions affecting Guaranteed
Student Loan repayment deferment. The latter was no small
achievement in light of the budget-cutting mood in Con
gress. Many University students receive Pell Grants, thereby
making charges of USSA detachment moot.
Furthermore, the University’s two representatives,
Caitlin Cameron and Katy Howard, have had audience with
Sen. Mark Hatfield. This kind of representation cannot be
matched through letter-writing or phone call drives. Univer
sity students need this kind of legislative input if mean
ingful improvements in the student condition are to be
realized.
We believe the $9,000 the USSA requested is a
legitimate request, even though the bulk of budget outlays
would go for travel and lodging. When on the road, USSA
representatives have virtually no time for recreational pur
suits. nor should they. The vast majority of time represen
tatives spend away from the University is performing the
task at hand — working to better student status locally and
nationally.
The IFC acquiesced to vocal objections by two of its
members, and decided not to fund the USSA in order to
avoid a deadlock vote. The USSA now has the opportunity
to appeal the IFC’s decision. It is our hope that the IFC will
change its ruling, and award the USSA the funds it deserves.
r,
DEMOCRATIC
ELECTIONS ...FREE
ENTERPRISE...
Mikhail,you must
promise notto
TAKE US TOO FAR
WEST/
] PER SURE
V _
Opinions
I am responding to Dean
Backus' letter “Film Review”
(ODE, Jan. 19). Dean con
tinuously criticizes Sean Ax
maker’s review on the twelve
best films of 1986. Dean felt that
Sean was a pro at being boring,
confusing, and irritating.
1 think Dean is being
unrealistically opinionated
towards Sean. Dean briefly
described nine movies he per
sonally preferred that Sean had
failed to list in his film review. I
consider a few of the movies
mentioned not worth seeing a
second time, much less on the
top twelve list for 1986. Fur
thermore, “Restless Natives,”
“Desert Bloom,” and "Parting
Glances” were three movies
Dean mentioned that my friends
and 1 have not heard of, but that
is his opinion.
By listing only twelve of the
most popular movies in 1986,
Sean should not be expected to
list everybody’s personal
favorites. Individual tastes in
movies are different and movie
reviewers do their best to base
their reviews on box office sales
and, of course, personal
opinions.
I feel that Sean Axmaker does
a good job and people like Dean
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Dally Emerald Is published Monday
through Friday except during exam week and vacations
by the Oreaon 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 Michael Lottinvllle
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 Maitz.
Joseph Menzel, Peter Miller, Joan Wildermuth
News and Editorial 686-5511
Display Advertising and Business 686-3712
Graphic Services 686-5511
Classified Advertising 686-4343
Production 686-4381
Circulation 686-5511
Editor
Managing Editor
News Editor
Spectrum Editor
Editorial Page Editors
Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Assistant Photo Editor
Graphic Editor
Night Editor
Associate Editors
Community
Politics
Higher Education / Administration
University Affairs
Student Government
Student Activities
General Assignment
Michelle Brence
Lucinda Dillon
Michael Rivers
Stephen Maher
Michael Drummond
Angie Muniz
Capi Lynn
Michael Wilhelm
John Giustina
Lorraine Rath
Lucinda Dillon
Jolayne Houtz
Shawn Wirtz
Chris Norred
Stan Nelson
Carolyn Lamberson
Sarah Kitchen
Dennis Fernandes
Reporters: Sean Axmaker. Mary Courtis. Karen Creighton
Gary Henley, Carolyn Lamberson, Scott Maben, Janet
Paulson, B J. Thomsen.
Photographers: Shertyn Bjorkgren, Shu-Shing Chen,
Marta 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
Backus should lay-off on some
of the harsh criticism and give
him a little credit where deserv
ed. I am sure even the best film
reviews receive criticism
because nobody is perfect.
Kim Rath
Business
Open forum
As a member of the Universi
ty faculty who has long defend
ed the ‘‘open forum” role of the
liberal, secular university in a
pluralistic society, I was
delighted to read Bert Tryba’s
letter (ODE, Feb. 6). Mr. Tryba
indicated that the University’s
mission is an educational one,
not that of uncritical proselytiz
ing. Accordingly, he wrote that
“it is vital that secular views
that challenge the claims of
theist religions” be represented
in campus discussions of, for
example, Jesus Christ.
I have previously
acknowledged my current
philosophic stance as that of
“post-Christian agnosticism."
Although reared in a Catholic
family and educated in mostly
church-related schools, I now
seriously doubt that Jesus was
more than human. On the basis
of the available historical record
and dispassionate philosophic
reflection on the nature of the
human condition, I have come
to believe that there is no
substantiated evidence to sup
port the contention that Jesus
was other than a human being.
What follows is my brief,
secular humanistagnostic view
of Jesus: The son of a carpenter,
Joseph, and his wife Mary, the
person called Jesus probably
lived in accord with his Jewish
ethnicity. Following his bap
tism by John the Baptist, he
began a charismatic ministry in
(>alilee — imparting a number
of teachings which may have
devieated from the “conven
tional wisdom” of his time.
Near the end of his short
ministry, Jesus was delivered to
the Roman authorities in
Jerusalem by a faction of the
Jewish establishment. He was
subsequently executed by
crucifixion.
Ron Rousseve
Counseling Psychology
Professor
Crucial issues
In last spring’s election at the
University, the student body
gave a strong vote of support to
the U.S. Student Assosiation
(USSA). USSA is the largest and
oldest national student associa
tion that lobbies for student
needs and interests in
Washington on a national level.
Recently we have witnessed
the most frightening budget
cuts in STUDENT FINANCIAL
AID proposed by the Reagan
Administration. Major cuts in
Guaranteed Student Loans are
already in effect this term! It is
absolutely essential that we as
University students support ef
forts to protect access to higher
education. The efforts carried
out by the ASUO to participate
in this positive process are very
commendable. As a student
dependent of financial aid,
these are exactly the kind of
priorities that I expect my stu
dent government leaders to
work on.
As shown in last spring’s stu
dent election, support has been
given to the ASUO to work on
these crucial issues. I implore
the IFC to resolve their tie vote
and support the student man
date for continued funding for
USSA.
Bryan Moore
Spanish
Letters Policy
The Emerald will attempt to
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,
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. Let
ters to the editor should be turn
ed into the Emerald office. Suite
300. EMU.