Byme brings high profile attitude to Athletic Department in trouble Athletic Director faces tough choices for funding problems in coming year By Paul Morgan Emerald Reporter Main tilings have i.hanged tor the Oregon Athletic Depart men! since Hill Byrne became Athletic Director in Ion-) Along the rim ot Autzen Sta dium one can see skv suites and a new press tai ilit\ I he recent S! ’) million renovations .it ttavvvard field have lilted Kugene and the DniversiK out of the dark ages in track and field. In what tormerlv was a sec tion of gravel parking lot out side Autzen Stadium, now stands probably the largest nr complishment in Byrne's ten ure The l.en Oassanova Alh let ic t ienter Phase II was completed this summer and has provided com plete facilities for weight train ing sports medicine and new locker room and equipment la cilities to replace inadequate rooms in Autzen All are symbols of a new, high profile attitude in the Ath letic Department And Byrne has done most ot it w ithout help from the state Besides bringing new tacili ties to realits Bvrne has also slice c-eded in attrac ting alien tion to the issue of athletic s funding In much ot this interview, the 4) year old Boston. Mass native laments the lack ol state funding for the non-revenue athletic programs at Oregon, and how the absence ot fond ing has put the Athletic Depart mrnt in a very tight situation ()1)H: Last spring, the Oregon State Board of I liglier I due a tion voted to raise the enroll ment caps at the state- universe I ic-s I low will that dec ision benefit youi department and how do you leel about it li\ KXt I understand we in going to rt-i t-ivt- about StilMl.OOO worth of tuition waivers from that, but I haven't seen am money vet I'hat’s what 1 un derstand and I'm thrilled about it ()ur actual cost ot tuition is more man tit.it tint ,nn time toil (.in ye I Millie relief it is .1 terrific help As far ,is tire rest of the ini pact it has I'm sum that the fai ii11\ has a few more students fo teat h. and I'm sorr\ it was the only alternative the state felt it had It is a short term so lotion, and one that I hope the legislature will address in the very hear future ()DI I low do vuu think the Legislature should address it ' flVW.V/- I think they should use tax dollars to fund ( idle giate athletics |Ust like every other state in Amerii a There yvas a proposal to fund women s uthletu s in ttlT'l and the Legislature killed it State Hep. Vera k.tt/ to he spec itn And nn hope is they will real i/e they made a mistake and that, m particular, young worn en deserve the same opportuni ties as young men So we are Irving to make a I axe On the other hand we did a good job making a i ase tor our selves with Ballot Measure > because at least then we got some relief w ith the Sports Ac lion Lottery, even though we haven't seen any of the money \t least the Legislature is ayvare of the need, and that's why we think w e have a better < ham e this time around (It )H Do you think a sm i ess lul football program will help out the bid to the Legislature H)'h!XI Ac tuallv it may Work 111 jllst tile opposite III tfial some people may think we aie trying to buy our way into the Hose Howl I think that was the term Hat/, used last time And I kuoyv that people wham you read letters to the editor, think that all of this money is going to the football and men's basketball teams But in reality those teams generate a lot moia money than yye spend on them Where the money is really go ing is the I..’ non revenue sports (>111 I low do you counter the argument between binding athletic sot .11 ademK s ’ Kill K\ rnc HYKS'I- I i ertainis wouldn't want In sa\ that we .ir<• as mi purl,int as i am it rescan h or even i uring tlif i iimmuii i old because ivi: art' nut What ivc offer is a well run, well man aged program that represents the I -niversitv well and offers a different wiiidtm toi outsiders to view the institution It people would rally around a i hemistrs class the was they rails' around the football team, there pnibablv wouldn t be ans need toi a football team Bill Ihes don't So we provide one ol the best publii relations ve hides the si in>ot has I couch that I is saving it has to he well run and well managed It we were causing embarrassment like t lies were at Southern Methodist t niversitv. or d vve had the same kind ot ongoing problems like tiles have at Ken till k \ or ()k I a hmna then I pmbalils Wouldn't he out heat mg the hushes the w as I am Bui we have done a good job, and have done it the right was Komebodv has to make the point that we i an t i untinue to have football patrons subsidize t rai k a ml iielcl I he sucres-, ot the women's volleyball team shouldn’t rest completely on how the men's basketball team dm--, hut that is what is hap polling now ( )l )l I „ist s ear s mi had to do some heavs lobbying to get the lluiks into the Independent e Turn to BYRNE, Page lb Lyle Parker AUTO BODY & FRAME Rep.lire;.5'and Painting QUALITY SERVICE V, " - W ! - i : • r •• ' U of 0 4 11 E 81 h Eugene Oregon 97401 (503) 342-5501 “1’iffi l or I^it‘r\oiH‘/” THE FUN SHOP ' ( itlllK's VA,«i ' M rn 11-6 OO Si) ■ So 10-5 30 22&-1945 EUGENE 1 122 At Of H M Fn 11 -G CX) Sii 12^1 CX) 68G 5069 • 20% MORE COTTON IN OUR PURE COTTON FUTONS THAN THE COMPETITION • Handmade quality craftsmanship • Our own exclusive frame designs • Ro fiilable Futon •10 year warranty SALE STUDIO SLEEPER & 'C.w CDF* FIT'*. ,‘j( : *i»» rxi,>* *iB9 i * ^09 m POCKET SOFA & fca\* :;>* fw i ( $2 2 9