EDITORIAL
tout and Am State Board of Hi
than can the bidding procaasfor
The problem is that University Housing dose not
even have a plan at this point. Tim slow moving
wheels of the process have barely begun to move. Ra
mey attributes this to the unpredictable nature of die
housing market. The concern is that if the University
does build new housing, students would not be able to
afford to live in it.
The money to build new housing would come from
the sale of $10 million worth of Oregon Ft-11 bonds.
These bonds would have to be payed back to the state
by the University. The money to pay back the bonds
would come from the rent paid by students living in
the structures, therefore increasing the amount of rent
charged.
Ramey estimated that a conservatively built two
bedroom apartment would cost from $350 to $500 per
month. Therefore, the University is worried that there
would be no market for the housing, and units would
remain empty, which would cause the rent charged on
the occupied apartments to go up even further.
Anyone who has had to look for an apartment in
the area knows that the University would have no
problem renting these apartments. Quads in the area
are currently renting for $225 to $250. This is about
what two roommates would each pay to share one of
the new apartments — even if the rent came in on the
high and of Ramey's estimates.
University Housing should get off the fence and
get the ball rolling. The housing pxobhmt Is not gt *
to solve itself. The Loglslature anproved the $10
lion bonds so that hmSOgMuld be built. Why not t
it? Worries that the housing would not ha used and.
therefore, not pay for itself mn
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Juniors also deserve firsts at registration
Kvery year at registration it's the same
old story. If you don't have the right social
security number, Mac Court seems like pur
gatory.
It's bad enough that students are herded
like cows through the waiting process. But
those filled classes hurt worse than a cattle
prod.
It's frustrating for juniors, who have suf
fered through the registration process for
years, when they realize that some freshmen
get all their classes, and they don’t.
What happened to the seniority system?
If it's good enough for civil service, it's good
enough for the University.
Juniors and freshmen should not be tak
ing the same classes. So let's reward perse
verance and give credit where credits are
due. Give upperclassmen a break.
There must be a better way to handle
registration. At Lane Community College
students can register by phone.
If the University used the money spent
on conversion to a semester system, it could
have telephone registration in place right
know. At least students could get frustrated
in their homes. The ones that have homes,
anyway.
Why is registration only two days before
classes start? Some students spend the first
week of classes standing in line at the Book
store. at Kinko's. at Smith Family, and at the
Copy Shop.
The University does a good job with
what it has, but the system is vastly outdat
ed. Put some of that research money into de
veloping a simple, easy, inexpensive and
cheerful way of registering.
If registration were to start a week earli
er, it would give students who don't get
their classes a chance to land a job for a
term. Those students should then get first
choice of classes the following term.
There's got to be a way.
FORUM
Life dichotomy demands cultural 'branching7
By Stefan C. Past!
The issues that affect the vot
ers in America are too compli
cated for the majority of voters
to be democratically involved.
Commentary
How can we sell weapons,
bury radioactive waste, spray
herbicides, mechanize farms,
spew hazardous waste into riv
ers. clean almost everything
with water, attempt to isolate
the causes of cancer, vote for
people we have never met. lx1
taxed for projects we don't un
derstand. be analyzed by peo
ple who have never lived
where we are living, lx* alienat
ed by 25 religions for every one
religion we are associated with,
lx? expected to believe we now
know how nature is supposed
to work and. finally, have any
idea how all of this is going to
turn out?
Which experts know how all
of this is going to turn out?
There are limits to how much
anyone can say they know for
sure If the "experts” do not
really know that all these com
plicated projects, with both
their benefits and potentially
hazardous by-products, can
blend together without caus
ing"unacceptable risks." we
all ought to bo making our de
cisions based on such an un
derstanding.
Our decisions would then be
based on a responsible under
standing of our situation. Can
we say this now? No. We must
admit that issues are in many
ways decided undemocratically
by the "experts," and these de
cisions are often lost amid a
chaotic mass of information
provided by television, news
papers. radios and just about
everything else.
One consequence of all this
that we can be sure of is that it
represents an abuse of human
rights all around — ironically,
even the “experts’ " own
rights — as economic, ecologi
cal and social systems become
unstable and create under
standable anxiety. Is anyone re
sponsible for what is going on
anymore?
More education is not the an
swer We already unknowingly
acquiesce to many significant
decisions that effect us because
we are overwhelmed by the
chaotic mass of information we
are now expected to swallow.
We need simpler economic
and ecological systems. We
need to be closer to when* our
basic necessities of food, cloth
ing and shelter are produced.
We cannot hope to re-establish
a healthy environment of hon
esty integrity — and therefore,
stability — without simplifying
our economic and ecological
systems enough so that we are
all, once again, democratically
involved.
However, it must be that the
possibility of voters in America
reaching such an agreement to
gether. without a split, seems
extremely unlikely. Even as in
dividuals we seem to be torn,
yearning for a simpler life and
a secret wish that the many ad
vertised wonders of science can
be had fur a price which is not
too high to pay.
In other words, it dues seem
that these desires are mutually
exclusive; that is. they are im
possible for people to resolve in
their own lives, in the world as
we know it.
Based on this observation. I
have to wonder why we do not
suggest a “branching” of
American culture. Why do we
not plan as if that part of us
that yearns for a simpler life
has as "legitimate” a desire as
that part of us which is curious
to discover all there is to dis
cover?
The way I see it. both wishes
represent real desires — no
matter what is legitimate or
verifiable — and both wishes
have proven benefits behind
them and unknown risks
ahead. This is the best that can
be said about any prospects on
Earth.
If we plan for a "branching”
of American culture, then both
instincts can be satisfied — and
recognized from the beginning
as mutually supportive — and
both environments will be
available in case people want to
switch affiliation from time to
time.
When the time comes to de
cide between “I know" or "1
don't know for sure,” honesty
is the best policy. As Mark
Twain said: "When in doubt,
tell the truth."
Stefan C. Pasti is a resident of
Durham. N.H.
COMMENTARY POLICY
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