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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 9, 1987)
Editorial Now that it's official, ending strike is a must It’s now official. Eugene School District’s 1.200 teachers and other school employees have gone on strike. We had hoped the Eugene School District and the Eugene Education Association could have hashed out a deal before it came to this. No doubt so do they. The strike probably will lack the violence and bitter feelings that marked the teacher strike of 1979. Although the battle lines are somewhat different this time out. the same issue of salaries and benefits still remain at the fore. This strike, like the one in 1979. is a result of inflexibili ty on both sides. And as with all negotiations, compromise will be the key to this impasse. It’s doubtful the EEA will get its requested 19 percent salary increases. There doesn’t seem to be enough support from the community to go along with such a request. But by the same token, the district will have to give a little; more than they have been willing to offer. But the real losers in all of this, of course, are the 4-J School District’s students. Precious little has been said in their behalf. Regardless of the strike’s outcome, students will have suffered, particularly high school seniors. These students’ education is especially compromised because preparation for college entrance exams will be delayed. Both the board and the EEA should keep these facts in mind. But now that the strike has started, it needs to be end ed as soon as possible. It takes more than a name to become a real university Southern Oregon State College wants to change its name; it wants to become Southern Oregon State University. That’s fine and well — if it changes its curriculum and educational mission, too. The State Board of Higher Education ruled that SOSC cannot change its name. But supporters of a bill that would override the State Board’s decision claim the name change would bring in extra bucks to tin; region. Specifically, members of the Jackson County Economic Development Council say that the name “university” carries more clout when it comes to drawing in business interests than does the name “college.” Maybe, but where’s the intergritv of changing tin; name and nothing else? The State Board currently defines univer sities as institutions that award doctorate degrees and where research is conducted. SOSC does neither. Supporters for the SOSC name change counter this argument by charging PSU of not meeting the federal Department of Education’s definition of "university.” The Department of Education defines an institution as being a university if it awards at least 30 doctorate degrees. Last year PSIJ only awarded 22. But this argument is weak. True, PSU didn’t award tin; minimum of 30 doctorate degrees last year, but at least it was in tin; ballpark. SOSC on tin; other hand was not. Moreover. SOSC is not willing to change its educational mission to include research. All tin; other Oregon univer sities, including PSU, do. If those in favor of changing the name of SOSC to SOSIJ are sincere, then they should be willing to go the distance and make substantive changes as well. pc 'im* Man Stmt/ POPE JOHN PAUL GETTING THE RED CARPET TREATMENT, PINOCHET STYLE. Letters Viable baby Some while back, I attended a college debate on the subject of abortion between the Lane County Right to Life president and then state Sen. Margie Hen drickson (the has-been darling of the local militant lesbian-left, and sister of Eugene abortionist, Sarah Hendrickson). Ms. Hendrickson zealously took the “pro-choice" to kill position. During tin; questions from the audience. 1 asked both debaters. "At what point in a pregnancy do you consider the fetus to be a human being?" Ms. Hendrickson refused to answer. She couldn’t. She knew any answer she could give would too clearly expose the barbaric logic of her position. She knew that abortions are legally allowed at any and all times prior to delivery. She knew that at some point, her "abort ion-on-demand" men tality is actually killing a real live "viable” baby. Possibly, one could sym pathize with the uninformed, but certainly not w ith the Ms. Hendricksons of the world. They know better, and still eagerly promote “pro-choice” to kill. Jon Wollander Eugene 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 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, Beryl Israel, Janelle Heitmann, 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 Letter Perlect Graphics 686 5511 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spectrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Giustina Lorraine Rath Michelle Brence Associate Editors Community Janet Paulson Politics B J Thomsen Higher Education / Administration Chris Norred University Affairs Laurie Schwartz Student Government Carolyn Lamberson Student Activities Sarah Kitchen General Assignment Alicia Gano General Assignment Scott Maben Reporters: Jackie Barry. Mary Courtis, Gary Henley Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren, Shu Shing Chen, Der rel Hewitt, Tim Jones, Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga, Samantha Barbitta. Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu Shing Chen, Janet Emery, Judith Gatz, Lisa Haggerty. Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Steve Lundgren, Kelli Mason! Mike McGraw. Rob Miles, Angela Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid White, Michael Wilhelm, Serena Williams, X Kang Xie Good faith For the skeptical agnostic, there is no demonstrative, Euclidean proof of Christianity, nor of the existence of matter, nor of the good will of your closest friend. People marry on faith, ex changing vows without proof that they will be carried out. 1 write a check. . . the cashier ac cepts it with faith that it is good. Is this foolish? Roosevelt made the mistake of waiting for proof of Pearl Harbor’s vulnerability. It prov ed to be a preventable disaster! Every act of volition requires faith. The agnostic claims he needs proof, yet this proof is not necessary for other decisions which he makes in life. For example, one cannot swim unless one can support oneself in water, and one can not support oneself in water unless one can swim. So, is it possible to swim? Many have done so on faith. To say, “1 must have faith to believe and have proof to have faith'1 is endless frivol. If we had no faith without proof, we could not survive. The problem with skeptical agnostics, then, is not the lac k of ability to have faith without proof. “Proof” is conveniently needed for that which he would rather “wish away.” God’s existence most likely provides a moral accountability and a dilemma with which they would rather not deal. God pro bably is not even interested in the kind of theism which wins logical arguments. He loves us incredibly, and He wants our trust, the very same trust we give others without absolute proof! Brandon Shepard Graduate Damn shame The current Constitution Court case against OSPIRG is ludicrous! For 16 years OSPIRG has received funding for a broad range of activities — cultural, educational and political. I his attack, as a denied per sonal vendetta, clearly must be one! OSPIRG clearly offers students an opportunity to learn skills that she/he can use later on in life. Those of us involved in OSP1RG are concerned with a wide spectrum of activities that concern students. These issues attract diverse students, whether they be conservative or liberal. They are students who are concerned with important issues. Mr. Randall, Mr. Munion, and Ms. Romano seem to think OSPIRG does not serve the stu dent population, and therefore shouldn’t receive IFC funding. Quite the contrary, it does! Students run OSPIRG. Through the OSPIRG State Board, students choose what issues OSPIRG should work on and budget priorities. OSPIRG offers students a chance to be involved in a broad range of activities, such as internships, toxics issues, world hunger, utility issues, consumer issues and directing voter registration. For example, students operate and coordinate (as 1 did fall term) the OSPIRG Consumer Hotline that help people with consumer problems. Students support OSPIRG. Last year, the ASUO voted to KEEP OSPIRG on campus, and to INCREASE funding. Through OSPIRG, students can make a difference and DO make a dif ference on campus. If Ms. Romano, Mr. Randall and Mr. Munion want to take away this student power, then it’s a damn shame! Alicia Sloan OSPIRG State Board Pathetic This is a note to all the beer swillin’, sun-soakin’ frat boys at the Damma Scamma Chode house on Kincaid last Thursday: If you’re so pathetically infan tile that you have to launch water balloons at a hapless UPS delivery man trying to do his job, maybe your daddies should make their checks out to LCC. . . . Eric H. Moore English senior
