Inside:
•IFC negligence, Page 8
• Basketball awards, Pages 21 & 27
•All-American Duck, Pagee 22
_ - Oregon Daily- T
Emerald
Wednesday, March 30, 1988
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 89, Number 121
Glasnost reflects needed reform, expert says
By Shelby Case
Emerald Contributor
While Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of
glasnost. or “openness", should be con
sidered as sincere, more reforms and ac
ceptance are needed both within the
Soviet Union and elsewhere, said
Ronald Wixman. University geography
professor.
Wixman, who is considered an expert
on ethnic groups in the Soviet Union and
Eastern Europe, spoke to about 50 people
Tuesday night at the Eugene Conference
Center on “The Implications of Gor
bachev: Is he for Real?"
Wixman said the Soviet Union has had
a long history of ineptitude and corrup
tion in its government. He added that
this, as well as other problems, has led
Gorbachev to move toward more reform
in his country.
He explained that while Lenin and
Stalin changed the Soviet Union during
their respective terms, they expanded,
rather than lessened the amount of
bureaucracy. The attitude the Com
munist party took was that each genera
tion must sacrifice for the sake of future
generations to fulfill its concept of
utopia, Wixman said.
In turn, this meant the bureaucracy
had to teach its citizens the appropriate
ideas to believe and had to punish those
who did not agree.
He added finally the corruption
became institutionalized. Military suc
cess became the "symbol of the
achievements of communism."
Gorbachev has had to deal with other
problems as well. Wixman explained.
Economically, the Soviet Union is one of
the richest countries in terms of its
natural resources and yet. it was still
largely an agricultural nation as late as
the 1950s and through part of the 1960s.
As a result of these long-term
developmental troubles. Gorbachev has
inherited apathy, a high level of
alcoholism, ethnic dissent, little
economic initiative and the lowest stan
dard of living of any industrial state with
the exception of Albania.
‘‘They pretend to pay us and we pre
tend to work” is one Soviet saying that
Wixman believes reflects the attitude of
most Soviet workers because although
they are economically secure with a job,
they believe they haven't traditionally
had to work very much.
Gorbachev claims he wants to get the
economy moving again by reducing
alcoholism and providing more cash in
Turn to USSR, Page 13
Ron Wixman
Welcome to the machine
Spring term registration brought thousands of students to McArthur Court on Tues
day afternoon. Jim Buch. director of admissions and records, said he is anticipating spr
ing student enrollment to be approximately 16.400.
Photo by Andy Cripe
Chancellor search
bucks bad publicity
By Mike Drummond
Emerald Associate Editor
Perhaps bolstered by en
couraging words from Gov. Neil
Goldschmidt, the search for a
State System of Higher Educa
tion chancellor appears on
schedule.
Goldschmidt’s pledge last
week that he ‘‘doesn't want to
be chancellor,” and his promise
that neither he nor his educa
tion policy advisor Paul
Bragdon would interfere with
the hiring of a new chancellor
seemed to have eased suspicion
and confusion regarding the ex
ecutive’s role in higher educa
tion, according to search com
mittee members.
In January, Goldschmidt ask
ed for and received Chancellor
William Davis’s resignation ef
fective June 30, which raised
concerns throughout the
Oregon higher education com
munity that the governor was
meddling too much in higher
education affairs.
Adding to the atmosphere of
suspicion and confusion was
the State Board of Higher
Education's unpopular retiring
of University President Paul
Qlum, effective June 1989.
Despite earlier hesitations
from many would-be chancellor
applicants and nominees.
ASUO President and search
committee member Kasey
Brooks said she believes the
search for a replacement
chancellor is progressing.
"Obviously there's been
some negative publicity nation
wide about the system and the
Turn to Chancellor, Page 9
Riverfront advisory committee hears citizen testimony
By Frank Byers
Emerald Contributor
Concern about the Riverfront Research Park’s en
vironmental effects made up the bulk of testimony at an
advisory group meeting March 17.
The Riverfront Design Advisory Committee (DAC)
is looking at design guidelines and a master site plan by
the Carley Capital Group, committee member David
Povey said.
The Carley Group is a private consulting firm hired
to determine phases of construction, plan transporta
tion circulation and consider aesthetics of the park, ac
cording to committee documents.
One of the main points of contention among those
speaking at the meeting was the status of the Southbank
playing field, considered by many to be the best at the
University.
Al Urquhart, head of the University geography
department, said the issue of playing fields has been
largely ignored.
‘'Only one soccer field has been shown, and
nothing in the guidelines promotes other fields. The
directions were to encourage the use of these other
fields,” Urquhart said.
Urquhart said his main objection to the research
park plan was the way it has been considered as “large
ly divorced from its surroundings.”
The plan shows little concern about physical in
tegration of the park with the University and
downtown. Urquhart said, nor does it explain how to
facilitate idea exchange between employees of the
University and the various companies in the park.
“A physical master plan can show these things and
how you interconnect functionally. This plan doesn’t
address that issue at all,” Urquhart said.
Also raised at the meeting were questions about
how the park fits in with the surrounding natural en
vironment. Michael Carlson, a psychology major,
spoke about the park's possible effects on the river,
vegetation and wildlife.
Carlson said not enough consideration has been
given to natural features such as a heron rookery
downstream from the park, and expressed concern
about the possibility of a toxic chemical spill.
“Toxins could be carried ail the way down the
Willamette River through many major cities. That
hasn’t been considered,” Carlson said.
In response to Carlson, Diane Wiley of the Univer
sity Planning Office said that such concerns should be
not be directed to the design committee.
Carlson said he believes a comprehensive study of
the park vicinity should be done so local citizens know
Turn to Riverfront, Page 10
More student input
needed, Brooks says
By Kelvin Wee
Emerald Associate Editor
ASIJO President Kasey Brooks said she is
concerned that inadequate student input is allow
ed in discussions on the Riverfront Research Park
development.
In a recent letter to University President Paul
Olum, Brooks cited two meetings were held dur
ing finals week, making it impossible for students
to attend and provide input.
‘‘This is not the first time this has happen
ed." Brooks said, adding she informed the
University administrators about her concerns
then.
Brooks said she hopes the meetings are not
planned to intentionally inconvenience students.
Turn to Input, Page 8