Oregon Daily
THURSDAY, OCTOBER B, 1992
EUGENE. OREGON
VOLUME 94. ISSUE 27
Air quality moves lab from Klamath to Onyx
J Noxious fumes from
organic chemistry
prompts need for bet
ter ventilated rooms
By Demian McLean
Emerald Reporter
A combination of noxious
chemical vapors and poor ven
tilalion is forcing the Universi
ty to relocate its organic chem
istry lab, Unlvorsily officials
said Tuesday.
The now lub will be located
on the first floor of Onyx
Bridge, which will allow for
smaller class si/e and better
ventilation. The move is sched
uled to begin Oct. IS.
Since 1968. the organic
chemistry lub in the basement
of Klumath has been notorious
with students for Its crumped,
dungeon-like atmosphere und
poor ventilation
But in the lust four or five
years, significantly more stu
dents have complained about
odors from experiments than in
the past, said Professor David
Herrick.
"On days when we were real
ly cranking out the fumes.
some students would leave the
tub and sit in the hallways."
Herrick said.
Student und faculty concern
prompted the University to
commission air quality studies
in 1991. Researchers set off a
smoke bomb in the basement
labs, then measured the time it
took the air to clear.
Herrick said ideally the ven
tilation system should have
cleared I ho air within 10 min
utes. Instead, the smoke lin
gered for about an hour, drift
ing into halls and open labs.
Herrick said the source of the
trouble Is Klamath's ventilation
system, which is located on the
roof It lacks the power to pull
air from the lab. four floors be
low
Turn to LAB, Page 11
Coming Out Day
challenges gays
□ Parents have mixed, but generally
supportive reactions to their sons’ and
daughters' homosexuality
By Tammy Batey
Emerald Associale Editor_
University gay, lesbian and bisexual students say
coming out of die closet is both tough and wondurful.
University student Julia W., who asked that her last
name not be printed, said accepting your sexuality can
be a confusing time.
"There are only ubout 400 emotions thut one goes
through," Julio said.
Julia said she was a bisexual for seven years and be
gan dating exclusively women ubout a your ago
Julia's mom guessed her daughtnr was a lesbian bo
cause all her friends were lesbians. But sho said it didn't
make their first conversation about Julia's sexual prefer
ence any easier.
"Sho said all the right things and sho said all the
wrong things," Julia said. "She said she'll always love
me and she wunts mo to be happy, but sho also said to
be discreet.
"if it means not having sex in the street. I'm discreet
But straight people do all kinds of things that are overt,
like having pictures of tholr partners and getting mar
ried."
University student Troy Shields. 21. said he agrees
wilh Julia lhal parents are some of the toughost people
to confront Shields said ho knows his parents aro
ashamed of hirn and want him to be usharned of being
gay
•‘They don't like to accopt the fact I'm gay." Shields
said "They like to think their kid is going to get mar
riod. have 2.5 children and a dog called Spot. It's hard
for them to let go of that."
University student Sean Sloane. 28, said his mom was
very supportive when she learned ho was gay. In fact,
she is Joining Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
But Sloane said he can understand being soared to come
out.
"It takes a lot of processing to get to that point, where
you're comfortable enough with your sexuality that
you're willing to let other poople know.” he said
The students said poople can choose to come out pri
vately, such as to family and friends, or publicly, by
wearing pink triangle buttons — or both.
Mark Evans, a staff psychologist at the University
Counseling Center, said the studenLs ho counsels who
Ramblin’ rose
Pv*> br Ml Pwi)
/to unknown person brought out the Pioneer's softer
side Wednesday by placing a rose m his hand. The
Pioneer, donated by Joseph Teal m 1919, honors those
who tourneyed across the prairies, said University
Archivist Keith Richard
Homosexuals
share their
experiences
jThe process of coming out
demands preparation and
good judgment
By Mandy Baucum
Emerald Reporter
Andrtiw Shaffer, 24. is u post-baccalau
reate in Russian und was 1(1 whim ho
told his parents he was guy Ho said ho
" fool(s) real anger about thul who In (com
ing out) experience."
Eighteen-yeer-old Molly Thompson is
an undergraduate) studying romance lan
guages She was Hi when she told her
parents she was bisexual. Thompson
said being n bisexual Is “more socially
acceptable" than being either guy or les
bian.
Sarah Ross, 2H. Is co-director of the
Lesbian (lay Bisexual Alliance at the
University. In high school, her mother
asked her if she was gay. and "yes" was
her reply. Ross said coming out Is "not
like losing your virginity, It's a long pro
cess. "
All three admit that there are many
difficulties Involved with coming out
and that there are many questions one
should ask before deciding to do it
Shaffer wild he grow up in u family
that shiod away from scxuul issues
"My parents didn't talk about sox No
ono was nuked There was no affection,
no touching."
Shaffer said he tried to pass himself off
as n bisexual before he faced his true
fooling*
“One* in high school I though! I could
have it both ways. When I was in college
I decided to tell my parents."
Shaffer was Initially surprised by his
parents' strong reactions.
"I never thought saying I was gay
would lie bud because I had never heard
Turn to OUT. Page 4
WEATHER
!lt will be mostly cloudv today
with ptxssible sprinkles in the
morning- There should be a par
tial clearing in the afternoon and
highs in the upper 60s Tonight
will be partly cloudy and chilly,
with lows in the lower 40s
Friday will bnng sunshine
after morning fog. Highs near 70
Wednesday morning reached a
_ low of 36 degrees. Stay warm
POPE IN PIECES
NfcAV YOKK. (AP) - Thf National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations has
put a S10 bounty on Sinead O'Connor albums
The coalition, upset that the Irish singer nuped up a picture of Pope John
Paul during an appearance on Saturday Sign! Lor w dl donate S10 to
charity on behalf of anyone who sends in one of her records, cassettes or
compact disks
The group already has begun asking raiiio and television stations not to
play O'Connor's music, sain its chairman. Bill Fugazy
"We think she went to far." Fugazy said ’She may not approve of the
chuch. but she shouldn t desecrate the picture of a worid religious leader"
Turn lo PROFILES. Page 6
SPORTS
SEATTLE. Wash (AP) - For the No 1 quarterback of the N
1 college team in the nation, winning is the most important
thine in the world But the margin of victory bv his
Washington Huskies is a close second
In the two seasons. Billy )oe Hubert is 16-0 its a Huskies
starter, including 4-0 this year Still, he's unsatisfied
'We re getting sick and tired of winning bv small margins,
the 6-foot-3. 22S-pound junior said 'Everybody expects as ti
win big. We expect as to «in bigger'
This Saturday, the Haskies are two-touchdown favorites
against No 24 California in an important Pacific-10
Dai fere nee garni The Huskies will play Oregon on Oct. 17