EDITORIAL
Court’s ruling gives
cause to rethink fees
In a 5-2 decision last week, the California Supreme
Court ruled that using student fees to fund political or
ideological organizations was unconstitutional.
Although the decision itself carries no weight in Ore
gon. it's founded on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling con
cerning the use of members' fees collected by state bar
associations.
The California case was brought to court in 1979 by
students at the University of California at Berkeley who
protested the use of student fees to fund organizations
they considered to be partisan rather than educational.
The state Supreme Court said using student fees for
a partisan organization implied consent on the part of
the students paying the fees, even when some students
oppose the organization.
This was tantamount to compelling speech in favor of
the organization by students-who opposed it. and "com
pelled speech offends the First Amendment, just as do
restrictions on speech.” To compel speech, the govern
ment must have-“a sufficiently compelling intorest."
according to ;ho court.
The court said the rule would apply when a group's
efforts to achiove its political or ideological goals
"begins to outweigh any legitimate claim it may have to
be educating students on the University’s behalf."
Organizations whose primary activity is lobbying for
causes off-campus are considered non-educationai. As
an example, the court citod a similar Now York case
concerning student funding for NYPIRG, the New York
equivalent of OSPIRG, that said any educational bene
fits "vanish when NYPIRG money is spent in the halls
of the state legislature."
On this basis, the court applied its ruling to 14 Berke
ley student associations, including Amnesty Interna
tional, Campus N.O.W., Campus Abortion Rights
Action League, Gay and Lesbian League, UC Sierra Club
and Greenpeace Berkeley.
At this University, there a several similar organiza
tions that would be threatened by such a lawsuit. They
include Amnesty International, Oregon Student Lobby,
OSPIRG, Students Against Apartheid. Student Cam
paign for Disarmament. Students for Choice, Lesbian
Gay and Bisexual Alliance, and the LJnited States Stu
dont Association.
The ruling does not altogether eliminate funding
through student fees, but rather requires the university
to offer refunds to students based on the percentage of
their fees that went to the group or groups they oppose.
Although there is no immediate threat to University
groups, the potential is only a lawsuit away, especially
in these times of rising tuition and fees and diminishing
state support. And with the supporting federal prece
dent, which was followed by the California court, such
a suit would likely be successful.
It would be wise for the ASUO. the IFC and the
administration to sit down now and consider new
methods for funding student groups before tho cost of
defending such lengthy litigation is incurred.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
Nmi Editor
Graphics Editor
Entertainment EdHor
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LETTERS
Self-defense
The actions of several men in
Eugene and three marines
nationally show us that some
people are still violently direct
ing their hate, fear and igno
rance against gay. lesbian and
bisexual people. Each day we
fat e the possibility that we may
lie attacked, beaten and maybe
killed for the person whom we
love and have sex with,
We do not have to stand for
the physical assaults focused at
us. Nor should we walk in fear
or bong our heads low in shame
for who we are The l.esbian
Gay and Bisexual Alliance is
offering .> way to learn how to
be more assertive in our
defense nd to defend our
solve ms! the brutality that
may In- inerted against us
A woikshop for gays, lesbians
and bisexuals will take place
Saturdii J ob 13 from 10 a.in.
to 2 p.m and Feb 14 from 12
pm. to 4 p.m. in Room 77
Esslinger Hall The workshop is
free and will include instruc
tion on avoiding conflict and
defending yourself in the event
of violence. Uoyda French and
Nadia Telsey will he instructing
the two-day course
The contact person is Sean
Sloane, and he can be reached
at 345-1039 or 346-1142. We
hope to see you there so we can
begin learning to take an active
role in our defense.
Benjamin T. Novlngar
Sean Sloane
LGBA volunteers
Carson joke
I was at tin- Student Senate
meeting Feb 2 that confirmed
Kd Carson to the Incidental Fee
Committee scut and found it to
lie quite a joke
For one thing, the IFC open
ing was not advertised before
the nomination. During the
meeting. ASUO President
Bobby Lee said he supports
affirmative-action guidelines
when appointing people and
suggested it should be written
into the constitution. That way
they would have to notify stu
dents of position openings so
everyone has the opportunity to
apply. It is hypocritical to sup
port a policy you don't follow
I also was surprised that stu
dent questions to Carson were
not allowed because they were
thought of after the floor was
closed to the senate only. I
understand some policy is nec
essary to keep things flowing,
but Carson will be a part of the
committee that decides where
all student funds will 1m* going
All students should t>e allowed
to have their say.
The biggest joke of the meet
ing was Carson himself, lie
denied being racist, sexist or
homophobic. He said he
believed no group should have
special opportunities that other
students don't have, flow- then
can he accept the nomination
when he knows lie had an
opportunity that no other stu
dent had, but deserved'
Michael Lum
English
Urination repiy
We were amused after read
ing Adam Brat land's letter 'Uri
nation Breakdown” (ODE . Feb
2) ll does, however, clearly
illustrate a point we have long
suspected — some people
expect to be told everything.
From our earliest held trips in
first grade, we were either told
where tiie restrooms were or we
found them ourselves — before
we were in dire need
Crow up. Bratland should
look for a restroom before he’s
desperate
By the way, in Heady Hall
there are two men's bathrooms
(one on the top floor, one on the
basement floor), two women's
bathrooms (one on the top floor,
one on 1M), and a unisex bath
room on the first floor that any
one an use by standing in line
How Bratland got to the top
floor and couldn't find the
men's bathroom is beyond us.
And another thing — many
women do not use the unisex
bathroom because many men
who use it either leave the lid
up or leave it "wet." Because it
is a unisex bathroom, those who
use it should leave it so anyone
(3n use it
Jo Gibson
Russian
Scott MacDonald
Math GTF
Get serious
Dynorriflc? Please. On Thurs
day, Feb. 4, the Emerald ran a
typically uninformative and
embarrassing article on the
sport of rock, climbing. "On the
Rocks" was an extremely mea
ger attempt to portray a spur!
that is based on knowledge of
safety and climbing ethics, not
on a style of clothing (“brightly
colored commandos") or absurd
statements of enthusiasm.
Perhaps crimpomatic or cara
binorrifie could be used in an
equally ridiculous follow-up.
Instead of a page full of redun- *
dant pictures of "mellow”
dudes clinging to the columns,
maybe it would better serve the
reader by including some infor
mation on proper procedure
Even a photo essay should pro
vide at least a reference to a
source of more information, i.e.
The Outdoor Program (34H
4365)
The author is unnamed, but
he should remember that plac
ing protection is used to protect
the climber from hitting the
ground — technique and ability
"protei ts the climber from
falling."
Kendall Cook
Pre-business
Carson no joke
When 1 am denied the oppor
tunity to attend the University
and fulfill my obligations as an
Incidental Fee Committee mem
ber because I can't afford the
rising costs of higher education.
I get a little angry. And when
I'm replaced by the managing
editor of the Oregon Commenta
tor, which has historically and
recently expressed very homo
phobic. racist and misogynist
views. I get even more angry.
Commentator articles that
stick out in my mind include
stories on Saferide and sexual
assault report forms. Both sto
ries ridiculed the seriousness of
rape and blamed the survivors
of sexual assault. The parody on
Saferide was titled "RamRod"
and described a similar service
run by men who used it to rape
female passengers. I didn't
think that was too funny. 1
know Carson didn't write these
articles, but silly me. I connect
them with him. the managing
editor.
And then I find out there was
no opportunity for others to
even apply for the open IFC
position. No advertisement, no
job announcements, nothing. 1
know there are students on this
campus who are more qualified
then Carson to fill this position
But I may not be "right." and
we never will find out because
equal opportunity does not
exist at tne very exclusive Uni
versity.
Barbara Rodgers
Eugene