Editorial
The quarter system
shouldn't be abolished
Although the wheels already have been set in motion to
convert Oregon’s public four-year institutions to the
semester system, some legislators are voicing concern about
the wisdom of such a plan. We agree with these lawmakers
and reiterate our position that the change is not only un
necessary. but it may do more harm than good.
Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Portland, has reintroduced a
bill (MB 2913) that would retain the current quarter system.
We support this bill, and we hope that it is given serious
consideration when it goes into hearing April 14.
The State Board of Higher Education enthusiastically
supports the conversion. It maintains that students would
benefit academically from the two 15-week semesters
because teachers could provide more depth to their courses.
This argument is moot, however, when it is remembered
many courses are offered sequentially, and course depth can
be achieved by taking three terms of a certain subject.
Moreover, the quarter system preserves scholastic flex
ibility. Students now are offered a broad range of courses —
if they want to specialize, again, they can take sequential
courses. Similarly, students can enter and exit universities
more frequently under the current system. This is especially
important for non-traditional students who appreciate the
extra enrollment opportunity.
Supporters of the semester conversion have failed to
adequately address other concerns as well. One of these is
the effect converting to the semester system would have on
student enrollment patterns. For example, a study published
by the director of institutional research at the University of
Central Florida in Orlando cited that out of nine universities
that switched to the semester system, all but one faced an in
crease in students withdrawing from classes.
Supporters also gaffe when they say the conversion will
not cost anything. This is patently false. Although it may be
true no new personnel will have to be hired to ease the tran
sition. instuctors will have to devote time to reshaping
course curriculums. The old adage “time is money” applies
here.
While no dollar figure can be fixed to the final cost of
the conversion, evidence proves that it will, indeed, be cost
ly. The University of Tennessee recorded a cost of $326,000
for converting to the semester system. Closer to home.
Washington State University’s conversion totaled $170,000.
Oregon's switch to the semester system conceivably would
be much greater because the conversion would apply to all
public, four-year colleges and universities, except the
Oregon Health Sciences University.
This is bad news considering the budget-cutting mood
permeating the state. The legislature has ordered the State
Hoard to cut $10 million from its budget. It is odd that the
State Hoard would attempt to implement a costly program in
light of this budget-slashing mandate.
The State Hoard also has voiced objections to legislators
interfering with educational affairs. This is nothing more
than shrill tirading. If legislators did not raise these valid
concerns, then who would? Frankly, it is comforting to
know that a few in state government care enough to question
an unwise program when they see it.
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Letters
Pure bunk
Whore does the irrespon
sibility of the so-called Chris
tian letter writers end? In the
Friday, March 13 issue of the
Emerald there were two more
letters of pure hunk.
In Lloyd Lovell’s letter
"Without religion." the all-too
common arrogance of the self
righteous factions of moral and
religious judges has once again
shown that the addiction of
egotistical desires is greater
than humble virtues of true
spiritual, religious behavior.
Mr. Lovell ended his letter by
writing, “He (Professor
Rousseve) is now a post
agnostic atheist." 1 guess this
kind behavior by Mr. Lovell is
just his way of showing us all
how the love of Jesus has in
spired him.
Then the laughable defense of
the “Reverend” (not in
Webster’s definition) Oral
Roberts added insanity to the
letters page.
In Dan Goulet's letter “Oral
defense," he compared Oral
Roberts with Hob Geldof. This
comparison recklessly
overlooks the fact that Roberts’
methods of getting his money in
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effect make him an extortionist.
And the sad part is, his naive
followers suck it all up and
believe anything this financial
ly gluttonous man tells them.
Roberts, like the rest of his con
stituents. is a liability to the
Christian faith.
Geldof, on the other hand, is
in the truest sense of the word a
sincerely humble person. He
does not claim to speak with
God and certainly doesn’t live
the disgustingly gluttonous
lifestyle that Roberts lives.
Patrick Clancy
Eugene
What you want
We wish to correct any
misconceptions about the
Counseling Center that may
have been caused by the article
‘‘Counselors’ lack of perspec
tive hurts minorities.. . ” (ODE,
Mar. 16).
It is true that our center
would be greatly enriched by
having more minority
counselors — to this end we
work hard to recruit qualified
minority candidates. However,
it would be a mistake to assume
that our staff is not striving to
meet minority students’ needs
for counseling.
Several of our staff have ex
tensive training and experience
in working with minority
students. All of those who inter
view for our positions are ques
tioned about their training, ex
perience and sensitivity to
minority students’ needs.
Further, good counseling is
characterized by a counselors’
willipgness to form a relation
ship with a student that is based
on openness and readiness to
explore that student’s world.
.Sensitivity is always required
when the counselors’ world dif
fers from that of the student's —
this is also true in the case of
other populations such as
students who are physically im
paired, who have a different
sexual orientation from that of
their counselors, or drug and
alcohol problems, or bulimia,
for example.
J
Two variables may add to
satisfaction with counseling: 1)
having a counselor who can
understand because he or she
has experienced the student’s
own situation, and 2) having a
counselor who can understand
because of sensitivity to the
feelings being expressed as well
as training and experience in
the area.
In the case of minority
students’ needs, we shall con
tinue our efforts on both counts.
Suzanne Gascoyne
Marc Taylor
Mark Evans
Saul Toobert
Counseling Center
Back up
1 find it unbelievable that
Patrick Clancy would resort to
the tactics used in his latest let
ter (ODE, Mar. 13). Since he
listed no source to substantiate
his claim about Victor
Perevedentsev (contained in his
last paragraph) I suspect it
wasn’t accurate in the least.
But if it wasn’t just a com
plete fabrication (designed to
unfairly discredit a source) then
1 challenge Mr. Clancy to prove
what he said.
It’s one thing to attack a per
son’s point of view with sound
reasoning. It’s another thing to
substitute reason with. . .well,
let’s just say it’s best to back up
your arguments, Mr. Clancy. I’ll
just leave it at that.
Also, I’m so sorry that Victor
Perevedentsev’s name sounds
so exotic to you. But it would be
rather difficult to quote a Soviet
source on demographics
without finding a Russian name
attached to it.
By the way, what’s wrong
with quoting such a gentleman?
I hope you’re not being
ethnocentric or xenophobic.
After all. sometimes we can
learn valuable lessons from
other cultures, Mr. Clancy.
Michael Cross
Political science, history