Editorial
Earmarking federal dollars
spreads research wealth
In the course of a decade. Oregon has become the na
tion's leading beneficiary of congressionally earmarked fed
eral research facilities grants.
Here, at least, is one area in the state where higher edu
cation is not lacking for money.
A study conducted by the University of California sys
tem and released last week shows Oregon’s three major re
search institutions — the University. Oregon State Universi
ty and Oregon Health Sciences University —■ combined to
rank third nationally in grants received since 1980.
The University actually has received at least $26 million
more than the $10.8 million reported by the California
study, according to University officials. Had all the grant
money been reported, Oregon’s $104 million would have
placed it above Massachusetts ($94.2 million) and New York
($82.9 million) at the top of the heap.
The study also opened up a controversial little can of
worms. It was intended to document the regional inequity
in the distribution of the federal funds — and while it did
this, it did a lot more. The study has renewed controversy
between supporters of the current congressional review
practice and those who think federal grants aren't adequate
ly distributed around the nation.
Not surprisingly, those who have joined the bandwagon
against a system they say leads to the geographic concentra
tion of resources also point out that Oregon's Mark Hatfield
has been chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee,
which decides where those funds go. for six of the past nine
years.
But for all of the debate against Oregon's universities,
we have to agree with University Vice President for Re
search John Moseley, who is "not feeling guilty" about Ore
gon's share of grants. It has been overdue.
Oregon seems to have struck it rich because congres
sional representatives and higher education leaders are do
ing an effective job of selling the state’s need for federal re
search facilities grants. Further, the grants still are distribut
ed through a competitive process, and the allocations dem
onstrate the state is submitting proposals deemed worthy of
pursuit.
Moreover, the earmarking system actually spreads the
wealth by introducing new players, like Oregon's schools,
to ,i game played previously by a few. elite institutions.
New facilities attrac t !>ettor faculty members, who in turn
compete for project grants and enhance the institutions gen
erally
This stale need not fear the wrath of those who howl
that its share of grant money is overly adecpiate or unde
served. New competition always sends convulsions through
those most interested in maintaining the status quo and pre
serving their own elite status
Cooperation necessary if
racism is to be eradicated
Racism.
The very thought of it sends chills down the spines of
some, and the very act of it can break tin* spines of others
Yet. day to day. we hear and read stories of violence
against people of color and other minorities around
the world, nation, state, and even our own "safe" campus.
A recently formed task force at the University designed
to study and hopefully develop plausible means to combat
racism has come under fire from some of its own members.
There is a fear among some that the work of this task
fort e u dl end up in .1 filing cabinet, stashed away to collect
cobwebs and dust.
We fear this too.
There is criticism th.it more people of color should be
represented on the task force. The criticism is that promi
nent fatality, students and stall of color have been left out.
and that others from the community have been shunned.
For now. we choose to reserve judgment us task force
chairman Gerry Moseley has said it "will have a much bet
ter balance" at its next meeting, to he held today at 2:30 in
the KMU Gumwood Room.
We urge the leaders of the task force to work with the
faculty, staff and students of color currently on the task
force to recruit more members from the University and com
munity to aid in the cause.
We also urge the people of color who are currently on
the task force to volunteer information and recommend can
didates whom they believe can help the University and
possibly the community develop means to end racism.
We also urge all who are concerned and angered by rac
ism to attend task force meetings, such as the one to be held
today, to offer comments or experiences. The meetings are
open to the public.
The only way to end racism is to fight it together.
What Dry Was...
What Dry Is...
Letters
So what?
I am sick and tired of hearing
the supporters of the Oregon
Commentator that their "rights
of free speech" have been vio
lated hy the IFC decision to
defund them. This is particu
larly nauseating since the effect
of the il'C's dei ision will lie to
force the Commentator to rely
on advertising and sales to con
tinue publication in other
words, to actually live up to the
"free market principles' they
so vehemently espouse
The I PC exists to spend the
students' money The stacks of
Commentators that can invari
ably lie seen mtting in their
rai ks testify that the student
body is not interested in the
semi-literate ramhlings of a
tiny, right-wing clique Those
who blur the issue by bringing
in the f irst Amendment into it
should get this through their
heads once and for all: if you
prevent someone from i ornmu
iiicatiug their point oi view,
that is censorship If you de
cide not to pay them for com
municating their point of view .
th.it isn't
Whether the Commentator is
not read because of its unpopu
lar opinions or merely because
of its unbelievably low journal
islii standards is an interesting
but essentially irrelevant ques
tion The students of this Uni
versity have provided the Com
mentator staff with more than
enough time and money to pro
duce a publication worth read
ing It's time to i iit them off
and watch as they sink without
a trace in their beloved free
market
Kric Wilson
Sociology
Democracy
Student body elections are
fast approaching and, in fact,
the campaign has already be
gun Andy Clark and Scott
Wyckoff have already an
nounced their candidacies for
President and Vice President,
respectively, setting off this
year's campaign My com ern is
not with the candidates how
ever. but with the voters who
will decide this year s elet lion
In a democracy such as ours,
it is imperative that people be
well-informed. politically
aware; and above all else;, that
they vote. By voting they affirm
their belief in an ide;a of gov
ernment that in this nation has
lasted 200 years. They exercise
their rightful power to decide
whe) will re;pre;se;nt them anel
work for their good Voters art;
the foundation and strength of
any democracy. They are the
essential decisionmakers and it
is upon them that the responsi
bility of democracy falls.
l.ast year's turnout at the
polls for student elections was
approximately 17 percent Not
even a quarter of the student
body took the minute required
to vote. Such a turnout is an in
sult to our supposedly enlight
ened and responsible educa
tion. Voting for President and
Vice President is the student's
best method ol having a direct
effect on the programs services
and priorities of the ASUO.
Thereby students also effect
larger issues such as enroll
ment. tuition, stu
dent faculty administration re
lations and campus safety to
name only a few.
So. this year I urge ALL stu
dents to vote! Make your voice
heard! Don't let the decision be
made for you! VOTE! VOTE!
VOTE!
Kirk Hailey
Student
Student needs
As a staff person .it the EMI! I
am concerned that the students
are being deceived (ODE,
March 2)
The EMU Hoard is a 15-per
son board with 11 student seats
and four faculty staff seats that
have voting rights and three
other members in an advisory
role. From the editorial “
students should have a major
decision-making role in the op
eration of the building and its
services," which is already
true, students at all times have
the majority vote The editor
states further, " really con
cerned faculty staff" would
urge future members of the
EMU Board to hear and consid
er this input in an unbiased
fashion The EMI' has aims and
goals that need to be addressed
today that reflect many years
down the road. The average
student participation on the
board is one to two years, while
many of the staff and faculty
who sit on the board have
worked here at the EMU and
University for 10. 15, and yes.
;i() years. Their input and vote
can keep the EMU in the for
ward direction not floundering
year to year.
(’.an we expect a student to
learn, in one year, the diversity
of the EMU and its services,
programs, and a combined
budget of almost four million
dollars, then keep up with their
studies, personal lives and
sleep? Let's be realistic, and
honest. The best system is the
student and staff faculty work
ing together to keep the EMU
working for present and future
student needs.
Susan k. Pedersen
Manager
EMU Recreation Center
Odoriferous
When 1 started at the Univer
sity last summer I was over
whelmed by the outer beauty of
much of tilt; campus, but ap
palled by the disgusting filth of
many interiors. In the locker
room at Leighton Pool, 1 rued
every footstep on the foul filth
of scum covering the shower
tiles. The rest rooms at the
EMU smell as though they've
never known a disinfectant. To
use the restroom at the knight
Library is to Im> assaulted by an
odoriferous nightmare.
I've puzzled about this irony,
and thought perhaps the price
paid for external beauty at the
University was unhealthy sani
tation. but after reading Chris
Bouneff's story regarding Ra
mon Contreras’ dismissal
(ODE, Feb. 28), it seems likely
that the reason the campus
stinks is because there is some
thing rotten at the Physical
Plant.
Hopefully the apparently uri
just firing of Contreras by
Burns and Buckles will lead to
an investigation of the policies
and practices within the Physi
cal Plant If the people clogging
the janitorial system could be
flushed out. maybe we could
<■ 11 enjoy an environment clean
from the inside out
Cori M. Kuland
Art History graduate student