Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1987)
Editorial Changes needed with write-in election rule According to ASUO election rules, a write-in candidate who receives three votes or more in primary elections is con sidered a valid candidate. This occurred in last week’s elec tions, and we believe this election rule should be revised. If there is more than twice the number of candidates as there are available seats in primary elections, then exactly twice the number of candidates to open seats go on to the general election. There were exactly six candidates running for three one-year Incidental Fee Committe positions this year, and the top three candidates normally would have been elected. Hut when one of the write-in candidates for the IFC received three votes, the original six candidates found themselves i n the general election. Clearly, there is something wrong when one candidate with just three votes can send twice tin; number of candidates than open posi tions on to the general election. The issue is whether write-in candidates with three votes should be considered valid candidates — we don't believe they should. Currently, it is too easy to abuse! this three-vote rule. For example, in the case of last week's IFC elec tion. it would have been simple; for one! of the* candidates to ask a few friends to write someone! in, thereby forcing the six candidates to the* general election. A more equitable rule; would base the; validity of a write in candidate on a percentage of total votes cast. Something like; Tj percent seemis reasonable. This would make it harder for someone to round up friends to e;ast write-in votes. Moreover, changing the! current write-in rule! would remove campus ejections from the; specter of election fraud. Relief could be at hand if Senate Bill 400 passes With the problem of funding higher education and related campus activities plaguing universities and colleges throughout the state. Senate Hill 400 comes as a welcome piece of legislation. Tim bill would allow higher education institutions to receive the interest earned on incideutakstudent and health service fees. Currently, interest earned through student and health service fees is deposited in the State Ceneral Fund. This revenue, estimated at $170,000, would be distributed proportionately to institutions on the basis of their cash balances. The bill stipulates that student governments will have authority over which student groups receive these funds. In the case of the University, the Incidental Fee Committee more than likely would distribute this revenue because it is the committee that allocates incidental student fees. At a time when the l Jniversity and Oregon State l Jniver sity face tin; possibility of being removed from the Pacific 10 Conference, this hill may come as a lifesaver. Moreover, other campus groups undoubtedly would gain from this bill as well. The hill now goes to the House. If the Senate’s popular approval of this hill is a yardstick to measure how it will fare in the House, chances are that it will pass with no problem. No doubt this woud be good news for student groups on campus. tZMZF [ir t+S7 **ri*l> c« " DR.KOOR LET'S JUST KEEP IT ABOUT SMOKING!” Letters SPA care Thu Child Care and Develop ment Center Parent Counc il has met to discuss the ele< tions and the* possible? impact on the pro gram. and would like to pass on the? following endorsements. ballot Measure 0 would in crease the CC1)C staff by one and a quarter full-time posi tions. enabling the program to s »* t up and administer a Westmoreland center, seek private and public grant fun ding. expand the current pro gram. and improve staff train ing in short, to make the ser vices more accessible to student parents. The program serves approx imately 2f>0 student families a week, logging 4,000 child care hours per week. The current staff is running itself ragged try ing to meet these needs, which has historically resulted in a high turnover of staff. Concerning student elections, we would like to lend our en dorsement to the SPA can didates. The Steve Nelson ad ministration has bent over backwards to improve child care by setting up a Child ('are Task Force to evaluate the pro 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 lottmville 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 Lilia. Rick Mart?, Joseph Menzel. Peter Miller, Joan Wilderrnuth News and Editorial 686 5511 Display Advertising and Business 686 3712 Classified Advertising 686 4343 Letter Perfect 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 Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Giustina Lorraine Rath B J. Thomsen Janet Paulson B J Thomsen Chris Norred Laurie Schwartz Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Alicia Gano Scott Maben Reporters: Jackie Barry. Mary Courtis. Gary Henley Photographers: Sherlyn B|Orkgren, Shu-Shing Chen, Der rel Hewitt. Tim Jones, Bobbie Lo. Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Bamaga. 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. Ingnd White, Michael Wilhelm Serena Williams, X Kang Xie gram and establish recommen dations for improvement. Further, it has moved to establish the task force as an ongoing body composed of students, student parents, facul ty and administration to see that these recommendations are car ried out. The program is deeply indebted to these individuals and 1 have no doubt that the cur rent SPA candidates will start up where this year's executive left off. Jodie Mooney and Sarah I.aehkar have expressed strong support for student parents, and we urge those concerned with these issues to vote SPA today. Mike YVieber Clhild Can%. and Development (Center Parent Council I have in my hands a letter sent to all Club Sports par ticipants by Glenn J. Jarrett. 1 was shocked by the letter due to its gross inaccuracies, border ing on the unethical. Mr. Jarrett states that the SPA controlled ASUO gave an overall 2.3 percent budget in crease to Club Sports for next year. The blame for not getting the increase that Mr. Jarrett would have preferred lies with the EMU Board which has respon sibility for the EMU budget re quest. The IFC gave an overall 5 percent increase to the EMU, totaling $ 1,369,846. How that money is distrubuted between the* EMU programs (including Club Sports) is up to the EMU Board. Mr. Jarrett also states that the ASUO gave themselves an 11 percent increase. While this number may help Mr. Jarrett's position, it is totally false. The ASUO received a 1 percent in crease, as they requested. Mr. Jarrett asserts that the Athletic Department, Club Sports. Marching Band and the Creeks are joining together to take SPA out of student govern ment. If there is any truth to this. 1 have to wonder if it is because they have been given false information such as that w h i c h Mr. | a r r e t t is distributing. Mr. Jarrett cites CSRI. as those concerned with programs like Club Sports. I certainly hope Kasey Brooks puts a stop to those people campaigning for her with false and misleading propaganda. Gwen Koedel Political science Counseling The ODE’s April 21 presenta tion of Ballot Measure 10. con cerning funding for the Univer sity Counseling Center, seemed incomplete and could have been quite misleading. What was not reflected in tin; ODE editorial is that passage of Measure 10 is needed to provide funding for the continuation of several counselor positions. As stated in the ODE. Measure 10 also seeks to change the way the University Counsel ing (.enter student fee is ad ministered by making it a per manent non-incidental fee supervised by a joint student faculty board. This would not simply “form a new layer of bureaucracy” as suggested in the editorial; rather, it would provide the Counseling Center with the fun ding necessary to offer counselor positions for three years. Currently some staff are hired on a one-year basis with their positions being renewed only if students vote for Counseling Center funding each spring Because of this, it is difficult to retain experienced counselors and to plan and offer services that continue beyond one year. Passage of Measure 10 would enable the Counseling Center to plan ahead, maintain continuity of important programs and keep experienced staff. Heather Holland Student
