EDITORIAL
Working together
the smart choice
The Governor’s Commission on Higher Education
recently released a report studying the options for re
vamping the beleaguered Portland State University and
the academic atmosphere of the metropolitan area.
The title of the report, ‘Working Together.” is a
good indication that higher education for the entire
state is beginning to move in the right direction.
The higher education system is designed to edu
cate the citizens of the state. Competition between state
schools does not promote that goal; cooperation be
tween these separate institutions does.
It appears the need to bolster PSU will finally drive
the state institutions to realize this spirit of coopera
tion.
The Portland area has many post-secondary educa
tion schools, but it does not have the one strong and
significant institution that a populous area of that size
needs.
The report calls for a “formal coalition of key aca
demic institutions located in the Metropolitan area.” A
coalition of forces from PSU. Oregon Health Sciences
University. Portland Community College, Reed Col
lege, the University of Portland. Lewis and Clark Col
lege. Pacific University and the Graduate Institute of
Science and Technology could create a powerful aca
demic atmosphere for the Portland area.
With help from the University’s and Oregon State
University’s academic resources and expertise, this
group of schools would be able to provide programs
not now offered in the area. They would also be able to
vastly improve the programs that do exist.
Any coalition of schools in the area should include
Oregon State and the University. OSU and the Univer
sity would benefit form the cooperative atmosphere as
much as the Portland schools would.
For example, one idea on the table is the creation
of a regional research library that could lx; accessed bv
all schools. Currently. Portland is one of two metropol
itan areas in the nation that does not have such a facili
ty. A comprehensive research library would enhance
the academic stature of Portland and the educational
abilities of all the institutions participating.
With this new spirit of cooperation — and with a
solution to the current higher ed funding problems —
Portland could create an academic environment for the
north similar to those in Eugene and Corvallis.
/
V
FIRST BUSM
TOLD US TO
READ MIS
UPS
AND NOW WtS
TELUN6 US WHAT
TO KISS.
TFT
First-time homebuyers lose in Congress
A bill providing down payment relief for
first-time homebuyers was lost in the recent
budget fiasco
Under the bill's provisions, if potential
home purchasers had not owned a house at
any time in the last three years, they would
be eligible to withdraw up to $10,000 from
an existing tax-deferred IKA account with
out penalty for early withdrawal.
Another version would have allowed
parents and grandparents to contribute up to
$20.000 from their IKA for their children's
first home.
However, participants could not buy a
house for more than 110 percent of the? me
dian price in their market.
This restriction is not very significant
because most first-time buyers purchase
"starter” homes that are usually way below
the median market price of their area.
Any legislation that enables people to
buy homes easier is a good bill. The main
point here is the first home.
The bill would not have applied to sec
ond homes or vacation homes, although it
would have applied to construction of a new
home.
People currently renting and thinking
about their future could have benefited
greatly from this bill. They could have used
current IRA money to purchase a home, and
used the equity for a future mortgage. It's
just like lending money to yourself.
Hut Congress lost sight of its priorities
during budget breakdown week in early Oc
tober. In their haste to deal with the income
tax and capital gains tax, the first-time home
buyer relief bills got lost in the shuffle.
The speculation for revival of this legis
lation is very doubtful, according to con
gressional staffers. That’s not surprising,
considering most members of Congress
probably own their home, anyway.
LETTERS
Precautions
1 followed the Emerald's cov
erage ot the Derek Horton trial
and the subsequent letters to
the editor, and I would like to
respond to Kelly Slattern's let
ter {ODE, Oct tO) Slattern
stales that if she were to meet
Horton now. she would Im
afraid of him l think fear is an
appropriate response to some
one who is even suspe< ted of
committing an act of violence
against a woman
And while 1 approve of a
feeling of fear toward Horton. I
think women should la* aware
that other men have committed
acts similar to the one Horton
was accused of — acts for
which they will never go to tri
al Women should think twice,
as a precaution, aland any man.
because everyone has the po
tential of committing a violent
act.
I admire this woman for her
courage to pursue a trial in a
system which causes women to
feel responsible for a crime to
which they an* victims For ex
ample. one of the Emerald arti
cles [ODE. Oct 8) stated that
the woman was "dancing sug
gestively" at the party, and that
she initiated the sexual activi
t\ Regardless of her actions,
her dm ision not to have sex
must lie resper led
Kven if a man does not real
ize that a woman is saying
"no." he still has committed
rape Horton said that she
"made statements that led me
to believe she wanted me to
continue ", hut no matter
what she said, he could have
misinterpreted. We all Ire
quently hear what we want to
hear, not necessarily what peo
ple are actually saying
Although we cannot say Hor
ton is guilty until he is proven
so. we also cannot hold a wom
an as guilty of a crime to which
she may have been a victim
lennifer Potter
Student
Yes on 6
The green movement has re
sulted in action on this cam
pus. Students can further their
environmental commitments by
passing the Recycling initia
tive.
In an Emerald article oppo
nents have made public safety
an issue [ODE. Oct. 10) It is
not safe to throw away garbage
dl our current rate Kv«n com
milled environmentalisls throw
a wav horrifying amounts of
garbage
Some of the opponents of
Measure l> are Dow Chemical.
The Society of Plastics and the
Tobacco Institute Are they
against Measure 0 because they
are concerned with public safe
ty in Oregon? Supporters of the
measure include the Sierra
Club, 1-eague of Women Voters.
Physicians For Social Responsi
bility and 250 small businesses
They do have an interest in the
public safety of Oregonians
Opponents have also criti
cized the costs of Measure t>
Our existing garbage problem
is poisoning us and costing
millions. Air pollution and
groundwater contamination are
directly related to garbage dis
posal and incineration.
This measure will have a ma
jor impact on Oregon. This
change is exactly what scares
some people. The packaging
industry wants business as usu
al. Unfortunately we pay the
price of excess non-rocyclable
par kaging The plastic industry
refuses to be responsible for re
cycling. but they are the only
ones tli.it can complete the cy
cle.
Oregonians will once again
benefit by passing smart, safe
and landmark environmental
legislation. Recycling business
will flourish and taxpayers will
save money on landfill space.
The interests of Oregonians
and not money-hungry out-of
state special interests must pre
vail Don't buy their garbage!
Vote yes on Measure fi.
Crystal Skalak
Eugene
Outta my face
To the men on campus who
invade my own and other wom
ens' personal space: You who
intrude upon our privacy make
us feel vulnerable when we
shouldn’t have to; this makes
me angry'. I write this in respect
to several incidents in which
you approach me — especially
when I am alone — and speak
to me as if I know you intimate
ly. make suggestive cat calls
and or look at me as an object.
When I want to be alone. I go
to a place where there am not
many people I have just as
much right as you to spend my
time there, without having my
privacy and safety threatened
I make myself look nice tor
myself, not you. Unless you are
my friend, you may not ap
proach me and tell me that I
look good. Do not make a point
of walking close by where I am.
or looking at me the way you
do. You do not have the right
to ask me who I am. where I am
going, why I am here, or what
am I doing Saturday night.
When I want to talk to some
one. I seek out a person I be
lieve I will feel most comfort
able with. I will never seek out
a person who gives me "meat”
looks or otherwise offensive
signals, unless for the sole pur
pose of reporting you to the po
lice.
1 do not need you to protect
me; I need you to respect me.
Respect my privacy. Respect
me. And get out of my face.
If you do not understand
this, please discuss it with a fe
male friend or write to the Em
erald.
Knna M. Dole
Student