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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 1987)
Editorial Holland's testimony not representative Maurice Holland, the dean of the law school, testified for Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork Tuesday despite opposition from a majority of law school professors and students. While it is within his rights to express his views as an individual, he should have respected the opinions of the people he represents and not have testified personally. By announcing his title as dean of the law school, he carries the prestige and reputation of the school and his Oregon consti tuents into the hearings. But both his colleagues and students do not favor Bork's nomination. The Student Bar Association circulated a petition op posing the nomination and urging the Senate to deny confir mation after Holland announced his plans to testify for Bork. The bar collected 280 signatures — more than half the students enrolled in the law school. SBA President laslie Harrison said the petition was pro mpted by Holland's tesimony. She will send the signatures to Oregon Senators Mark Hatfield and Boh Pack wood, as well as committee chairman Senator )oseph Biden. law school professors also oppose Bork's confirmation. In another petition signed by 23 of the 28 faculty members, they state: “Although Judge Bork has been a colleague in the teaching of law. we oppose the nomination because of a con cern that overrides matters of credentials or personal consideration." noth groups disagree with Bore s interpretation of jtidiciul restraint and believe be will reverse laws protecting civil liberties. "We agree that there is room on the Supreme Court for differences of opinion based on principled judicial thought," the SBA petition states, "However, we believe that fudge Bork’s record has clearly demonstrated an un principled bias in the approach he has taken to our Constitution." These are the beliefs of the majority of University law school students and teachers. As their dean, their represen tative, Holland should acknowledge their point of view. Granted. Holland is an individual and should lie able to express his opinions. But these opinions should be separate from the University. In his prepared statement, however. Holland introduces himself as the law school dean. He then adds the disclaimer that he is appearing on his own behalf and not on the behalf of the University. Nonetheless, his credentials are based at the University and he will undoubtedly be associated with it. This could have negative ramifications on what is cur rently considered a liberal law school. On a national level. Holland's testimony will have little impact on the committee. He is one of many deans and pro fessors testifying in favor of Bork But to the people of Oregon he represents the University law school. His ap pearance will influence the opinions in the local community and have an impact on their opinions of the University. The fact that he went to Washington to testify, as opposed to a written endorsement, makes his opinion all the more powerful. It is important that the views of the people of Oregon are understood by Hatfield. Puckwood and the rest of the Senate. They should not be overshadowed by Holland's per sonal appearance. r^rWDO.GETWCK! ^VBKKTDVMffiEVyE ONCEBBOME)!!!^ 1 Ill II entary Learning to learn key to education Welcome to the University of Oregon. Some say that when you walk in the door of a modern American university you step onto a conveyor belt carrying your dismally ill prepared little mind through pallid, unthrealening course work, culminating in the degree of Bachelor of Schlitz Commentary by Alan Contreras Others claim you are the cream of wheat, chaf left at the gate, here to engage in an orgy of cultural enrichment and per sonal growth unmatched in time and place. You are yourself. You will get from your university experience what you choose to get. Aside from the ritual drudgery of grades, the University will rare ly judge or prod you. At times it will seem a two dimensional monochrome bat tleground peopled with Ihousands of blank-faced teenagers and fire-eyed graduate students. Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald la published Monday through Friday eacept during eaam 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 properly The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Michele Ross Classified Manager Kelli Mason Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Ten Boring. Gary DeLossa. Tom Leech. Catherine Lll|a. Rick Marti. Laura McKinney. Heather Mull. Joann Nelson. Julie Paul. Barbara Rogers. Scott Thorkildson. Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial AM 5511 Display Advertising and Business AM 3717 Classified Advertising AAA-4343 Letter Perfect Graphics AM 5511 Production AM43A1 Circulation AAA-S511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editors Angola Muniz Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special issues Editor Entertainment Sporls Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Eden God bey Steven Hoenlsch Aaron Kno« Shu Siting Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Kortekaas H C Hutto Stephen Maher Associate Editors Community Stephen Maher Higher Education Administration Michael Drummond Student Government Activities Carolyn Lamberson General Assignment / Entertainment Will Holbert Reporters: Craig Harris. Gary Henley. Andrew LaMar. Jeff Morgan. Ingrid Petersen. Cami Swanson. Kelvin Wee Photogrephers: Sherlyn Biorkgren. Maria Corvallis. Andy Cnpe. Dusty Etzei. Oerret Hewitt. John Giustioa. Bobbie Lo. Ross Martin. Andre Raman. Dan Wheeler. Michael Wilhelm Production: Sandra Daller / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Ronwin Nicole Ashton. Virginia Bamaga. Stephanie Drynan. Dolores Ferreo. Shannon Gaither Lisa Haggerty. Stephanie Holland. Dierdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Jung Lee. Bobbie Lo. James Mason. Angie Muniz. Ted Shepler. Lisa Svanevik. Ingrid White. Kelli Williams. Serena Williams. X Kang Xie Some days it will seem a blissful. pastoral peninsula only tenuously attached to worldly cares. Whether you are a seeker or a sitter, the University will serve your needs. For seekers there are endless trails to follow and wildernesses to explore. If you are a sitter, remember that the University is like a giant computer terminal If you are seen sitting in front of it long enough, people will assume you know what you’re doing. You end up with a degree whether you are a seeker or a sitter, so the choice is less a matter of strategy for quan tifiable success than of personal stvie. The University can't in culcate values by requiring a course, said University of Michigan Law School Dean Ter rance Sandlow, recently. Whether you come as a seeker or a sitter, if you are steeped in hate and greed, the University won't attempt to make you Mother Theresa or even Thomas lefferson. although it will insist that you play by its rules. You will grow older and perhaps wiser here, but how you change as a person won't be entered in the University’s computer. What, then, will the Universi ty of Oregon do for all the money and time you shovel into it? it should provide a setting for true academic dialogue, the at mosphere of mutual respect bet ween students and faculty that Provost Richard Hill praised in his summer commencement address. Commentary Policy The Emerald is interested in printing commentaries on topics of interest to the University community. (.ommentaries dealing with a subiect that the author has exper tise in and has researched will be given preference. It should provide the intellec tual tools with which you can strive to understand your world for the rest of your life. It should teach you to create, not just memorize; to ask, not just receive. It should Rive you flexibility, but not abandon its standards. If it does not consistently do these things, complain until it does. Some of the faculty and most of the administration will actually listen, and we often act on student suggestions. The University has course re quirements. the floor beneath which no student may descend and receive a degree. That's all they are. a floor. Basing your academic choices on the goal of merely meeting the minimal re quirements is like carefully planning a four-year trek out of the basement to ground level. It not only accomplishes lit tle, it's a boring exercise in educational bean counting Some of you art* here to get in. get out. get a job and get away, just for fun. try a little learning w’hile you are here. It’s a refreshing change from the usual ual of slingiifg together papers and finals to tally another class over the side. Buy a text a class you art; not taking and read it for fun Go to an odd-sounding evening lecture before hitting the nearest watering hole. The University is a place to try new things without fear, to question things you don’t understand and challenge things you don’t like. Learn as much as you can from your university ex perience, but go forth from here realizing that learning is a lifelong process and no one is ever fully educated. 1-earn how to learn. Get that from your university experience and your mind will be able to expand forever. Helping you learn is the University's greatest role. It is the essence of education, and in that spirit the University of Oregon welcomes you.
