EDITORIAL Democracy in action at IFC gatherings Tho Incidental Fee Committee meets every Monday and Thursday to discuss the allocation of student money to campus organizations. The committee has about $4.5 million this year to distribute among such gjoups as the ASUO. the EMU. various student unions, the marching band. campu6 magazines and newspa pers. the athletic department and OSPIRG. The meetings can be spirited and intense. Money is a volatile issue, and most student groups believe they don’t get enough. If one group seems to be favored over another, tempers flare. If one group believes it's not being treated fairly, confrontations can result. Surprisingly, the meetings generally are not well attended, despite the fact that student money is on the line. Typically, the only students who show up are members ot organiza tions asking for IFC money. The IFC usual ly invites a few such groups to each meeting, where members then present their case. Stu dents on campus need to attend an IFC meet ing at some point in their college careers to gain perspective on campus politics. The IFC is a perfect oppor tunity to watch democ racy in action IFC members are students themselves who were elected bv the student body. They allocate student money for student inter ests. Anybody attending the University should not only know of the group, but have an interest in its opera tions. Out of a $907 tuition bill, students pay $106 per term to the JFC, lust as Oregon taxpayers want to know where their money is going, students should know the same. If athletics are frivolous to particular students, they should want to know why the athletic department gets significantly more money than OSP1RG. If a campus magazine or newspaper isn't worth reading, students should hear that group's presentation to develop an informed opinion. Beyond the obvious news value of an IFC meeting, it’s worth it to attend simply to watch the the personal ities involved. In this instance. IFC members are in con trol. and student organizations are asking for their share of the money pie. Observers can watch the personal dynamics of the IFC members and the decision-making procoss. Other campus meetings are worth attending as well. The Student Senate and EMU Board meet on a regular basis and decide issues that concern the entire campus. Every student should want to know more about the processes that governs these decisions. Out of m $907 tuition bill, students pay $106 per tom to the IFC. Justus taxpayers want to know whom their money Is going, students should want the same. Tha Oigon Daily EmaraM » pubhahad da»y Monday through Fnday Outing tha achool yaw and TuMday and Thuraday du«ng tha wm« by tha Oragon Daily EmaraU Putman mg Co me . at tha Umvaraay ol Oagon. Eugana. Oagon Tha Emaratd oparataa mdapandantty ol Iha Univaratty ata 300 ol tha Erb Mamoraa Unon and a a mambar ol tha Aaaooatad Ptaaa Tha E mar am 4 cmvata propady Tha unlewlul rarwal wuiaul papara » proaaculabia by law “— Pal Maarh Martin Fiahar Jail PtUay Entarta* Frava Horn EdNortai MNor «*•>*»■" (ports CdHor Dava Oattontaau •upptsmants KdHor CKay A/tdaraon NgM tdhor Chaalar A»an naam-ait fin--r T-r“-*~r 11—'—’ -ru-*v T-~-» nrfy, Coaaan Pohfcg. Hgnar f ducshon Aomnttrhon Now* Buff: CM* AM. Marx* Baucum Man Bandar June Brown. Sarah Clark, Oytm CouNar. Mag Dado**. Amy Oauanport. Amanda Farm*. AAoa Fartan. Taraaa Hurtamgar, Liaa KnaMW. liaa Maun. Daman McLaan. Stava Mm*. Tfftn Muaiar. Tnata Noal. IMhaw Scnutiat. Euan Shaw. Mchaff Shntar. End. Shjdancka. Mann Su*o>. MchaM Thompaon Agua. Amy Van Tuy*. Todd MMkama OanarM Ntanagar Judy Rwd Production Man agar: kAcnaka Rom Advarttalnf: Tom laach. Sharon Va«. Sara# Managar* Shawn Barvan. £>*ca Managar Ma troia Taraaa taabaAa. PhUp Johnaon R. Chna Kanoff. Jaramy Maaon. Van V OByranH. CMkan Oh. Ruhaal Tn4, Anpa WmtTwao. Bnan WAntfwan CUaaMad: Pagigy MeGmn. Managar Barry Logan. »aron Sauva OMrtbulton: RaOacca Brook*. Knot. Van Oordar. Anthony *yr» Btialnaaa: Kaffiy Carbon*. StyaarMaor Judy Connoty Production: toy id Whoa, Production Cootanaax Krtaima Qrangar. Oaa McCoOP. Stacy HAtchai Jamtar Rotand Janmlar SmAh. Anna Siaphanaon mwwoom --9m 1 Ol*c+_JilMlI q-IIW.il Ad—rtWwg.i«t OM New Medals tor the Military.. CONSULT ME]j NUW4 WKRMHaTON ***** HcRsommi Buck tie NOSE OUT OF JONT G4EK Cf SlAfF M0H. CONGBWCm MQM. OF 0ftC*FH»UN6 LETTERS Negligent This letter is in response to the article on Otis Scarbor ough's sexual harassment of lean Chiappisi, which was pub lished in the Emerald on fan 26. We believe the lack of action shown by the University Office of Public Safety and Director Carey Drayton specifically, at the onset of the incident, was extremely negligent. Scarborough was clearly in violation of the University's harassment policy,, yet he con tinues to be employed as an OPS officer. Aside from his proven guilt in this instance, there is adequate reason to believe this type of behavior has occurred previously. We find the manner in which this case has been handled by Drayton to be most reprehensi ble. Drayton has failed to take proper measures to ensure a comfortable working environ ment for women. It is disturbing that Drayton appears willing, if not eager, to try and bury the issue. Drayton states. "It was better for our department that (Chiappisi) moved on because if that talk would've continued, it would've gotten worse." Drayton's obvious ineffective ness in dealing with a major issue like sexual harassment is truly disheartening. If Drayton is still unwilling to address this issue in his department, we believe he has no business working for the University and call for his resignation as well as the immediate termination of Scarborough. We would like to say to Chi appisi. whom we have known for years, you are not a "bitch" because you protected yourself. Thank you for having the strength and courage to step for ward and assert your rights. Phil Donovan Slava Thoannaa Geology Shed myths With a great deal of sadness and frustration I read theEmer ald. Wednesday. Jan 27. The front page contained arti cles concerning the protests held in response to Sen. Bob Packwood's visit to Eugene. The Senator refuses to resign even though 10 separate women have brought sexual misconduct alle gations against him. Packwood seems to believe that simply because of his posi tion. he is above the law. This attitude of being above reproach is not uncommon among other groups of men. be they politi cians. athletes or fraternity members. As 1 continued to read this paper, I reached the sports sec tion The sports page was devot ed entirely to the Portland Trail Blazers' recent "sex scandal." It seems as if some members of the team had sex with two sixteen-year-old girls. One of the girls said she "sort of con sented “because I was afraid and didn’t know what to do.” ft sounds dangerously close to gang rape to me. Men who rape come from all walks of life. It is time to shed the myths that men who rape are people we don’t know. Unfortunately, we come face to face with these men daily. By the way. this is one woman who won’t be holding any Blazer parties this year. Rondine Niki Rooch Undeclared Get trained Thia is an open letter to the University in response to issues raised in '‘Harassment network offers help" (ODE. Jan. 27). How can you seriously be try ing to "prevent liability to the University" (let alone address the complaints themselves), when the two male vice presi dents making decisions on sex ual harassment cases have no training in that area, and proba bly don’t even have personal experience of what it’s like to be on the receiving end to draw upon? If personnel aren’t even trained, then the University is not taking the issue seriously. The number of sexual harass ment lawsuits is increasing, and the publicity can do enormous harm to peoples’ careers. If you want us to believe you. take this issue seriously, then train everyone involved in the investigation and decision-mak ing processes so that they’ll at least know what constitutes harassment and what doesn't, and what the legal ramifications art) That's the bare minimum action required to prove you're not just talking the talk. Soothing words, belitllement. veiled threats and indirect pun ishment of the complainant don't work anymore. If you don't put valid procedures into effect, someone will decide to prove that to you. This is not a threat — it's simply stating the inevitable. Dobra Day Psychology Good jobs Martin Fisher s opinion col umn [ODE . Jan. 26) is filled with numerous examples of poor thinking First off. he claims people who are politically active risk not being able to get good jobs. The eyes of the state and big business are on you. he claims, so you better watch your step. 1 believe it is wrong for Fisher to try to scare students from social activism in this way. A democracy is made so individu als can protest against and try to change its institutions. In this way our society adapts and improves. Outdated notions such as racial discrimination are slowly, with much effort, discarded this way. Students can take part in this and con tribute to all our betterment. If there are businesses that don't like this. I imagine the students with the sense of social responsibility that brings them to protest wouldn't like working for those businesses. Students don't have a need to worry though. There are many good jobs that don't require you to be a lock-step corporate pup pet. to destroy the environment or to discriminate against peo ple based on their race, sexual preference or gender — jobs you can feel good doing. Secondly, he ends his column mentioning the University has classes designed to make stu dents "politically correct." What classes is he talking about? Native American Litera ture? Chinese History? Evolu tionary Biology? Environmental Planning and Policy? Yes. accurate information about other people and the world can be a very dangerous to the status quo Beware. B«n Iglauer Eugenen