EDITORIAL
Research, teaching
have similar goals
Throe state representatives visited the University
Wednesday to discuss the role of research within the
Oregon State System of Higher Education. Their main
concern was whether faculty are spending too much
time researching and not enough time teaching.
"Our mission is to see how we can get more bang for
the buck." said Rep. Carolynn Oakley. She wants pro
fessors to revise their teaching priorities so they spend
more time educating and loss time researching.
Oakley is correct in assuming many people are frus
trated by the quality of education at the University.
There are too many impersonal lecture courses in which
the student is intimidated by the size of the class and
hesitant to Bsk questions or visit the professor during
office hours. And smaller courses are often taught by
graduate teaching fellows who seem uncomfortable with
educating others because they have too little practical
experience.
So. should professors spend more time on teaching
and loss on research? Frankly, the University needs to
emphasize both areas because both are equally important
and lead toward the same goal — learning
There are two ways of looking at it First, education
is the priority of any collegiate institution. Students pay
tins University $<t07 a term for quality instruction. That
inr lodes active professors who are prepared and enthu
siastic about the subject matter. It means attending small
classes taught by full professors, not GTFs It means hav
ing professors who are available to students outside of
i lass and who enjoy interacting with their pupil1
On the other hand, the key to advancing as a society is
a continued i ommitment to expand existing knowledge,
Research does this It furthers a person's understanding
of an issue, which in turn leads to new discoveries. A
profeasor satisfied only with recycling past knowledge
won’t inspire the student's imagination. As University
Professor Charles Wright said. "When faculty stop learn
ing. it's only a matter of time until the students stop
learning."
In addition, research increases the prestige of an insti
tution. which in turn brings in more money through
alumni donations. The professors also receive grants for
their projects — although the money goes toward the
research itself, not the University.
The question, then, is how does the University balance
education and research? it s far easier to say teaching
should he emphasized without coming up with solid
solutions toward that goal.
Perhaps the only solution we can reach is to empha
size the connection between research and instruction
in professors' minds. Research is designed to further
learning. Instruction furthers other people’s learning.
When used together, they should improve course con
tent. not detract from it.
In other words, it's not an oither/or proposition. If pro
fessors focus their research toward students — instead of
their own gains — they wouldn’t have to change any
thing. Research and teaching should co-exist comfort
ably.
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OPINION
Packwood could use ethics lerson
Ii was with relief Ihat I road
ih ’•goman head'ine.
")o!in resigns her Senate
aeet
We a!. vv hv mm what the
soon-to-t>« former state senator
did that was so offensive. In
order to increase campaign
donations during a 1990 bid for
re-election, Sen. Peg John sent a
letter to her supporters claiming
dire financial straits
According to the letter. John's
financial campaign was in debt
to the tune of about $10,000.
John blamed part of the debt on
an accident involving a cam
paign truck that rolled over
while it was Unrig used to place
campaign signs.
What the letter left out was
that the campaign truck was reg
istered to |olin and that it was
being driven at the time of the
accident by her husband.
Donations poured in from
sympathetic, concerned con
stituents. Then, unfortunately
for |olin. the lustice Department
began investigating — after
financial records from the cam
paign showed a surplus of
52H.OOO at the time she mailed
the infamous letter.
When she was called on the
discrepancy, lolin defended her
self by explaining that many of
her colleagues use this "tech
nique" of soliciting money by
claiming to be in debt.
Crow up. Peg "Everyone's
doin' it" is the oldest excuse in
the world.
Fortunately, the public didn't
buy it. )olin. angry and resentful,
was finally forced to resign If
she learned anything from this
ordeal, it was probably to be
more careful next time. Jolin has
expressed no regret for her
actions other than what seemed
necessary to win back support
The recent controversy over
Zoe Baird is another example of
ethics winning out over cheap
politics. Baird, who was nomi
nated by President Clinton for
the position of U.S. Attorney
General, declined the nominn
tion after ihi> madia disc overed
that she had knowingly hired
two illegal immigrants.
The issue of ethics in politics
is big right now If von are
caught lying to increase urn
paign donations, you have to
pay the consequences If vou
hire an illegal immigrant you
won't be allowed to serve as the
I S Attorney General.
ft's loo bad these ethics
haven't convinced Sen Bob
f’uikwood that fie needs to
resign.
Pack wood may lie a very good
senator He has the experience
a good senator needs. He has the
connections to get Oregonians
what they need. He has done
some wonderful things for Ore
gon in the past.
Unfortunately, none of that
means anything when so many
of your constituents hate you.
Every time Packwood appears m
public, he is inundated wi|h
questions about the 23 women
who have accused him of
unwanted sexual advances
A new poll confirms that
almost half of Oregon voters
believe Packwood should
resign, a percentage that has
increased six points in (lie past
two months.
Several women's organisa
tions say they won't forget the
sexual harassment allegations
against Packwood. nor will they
let anyone else forget.
"Sen. Packwood's record of
advocacy on women's rights
does not excuse his exploitive
behavior." said Holly Pruett, a
representative of the Women's
Rights Coalition. “While he has
used the power invested in him
by the people of Oregon to
achieve advances for women, he
has also used that very same
power to harass some women."
The fact that the news of these
allegations was not published
until after the November elec
tion is another sore point.
"Boh Packwood made credi
bility. clout and power his plat
form for re-election," said Mary
Botkin. Oregon National Com
mittee member and the chair
woman of the Women's Coali
tion of the Democratic Notional
Committee. "He has violated
that trust, and voters deserved to
know that beforehand...If he had
If Pa \wc-d really
cares about
Oregon, he will do
the decent thing
and resign.
not lied about it, he w-uld not
be a senator today."
Despite whether Packwood is
or is not a strum ball, he is unable
to effectively represent Oregon
at this time. Although he is des
perately trying to make the pub
lic forget his indiscretions, the
people aren't playing. Packwood
just isn't a Slick Willie. The
public isn't as ready to forgive
and forget his indiscretions.
Instead, we have vowed to
remember. We intend to hold
the Senate Ethics Committee,
which is investigating the
harassment charges, responsible
for discovering the truth behind
the allegations and handing out
just punishment. In the mean
time, many of us will continue
to ask for Packwood's resigna
tion.
Are wo condemning Packsvood
before the trial? Guilty until
proven innocent? That isn't the
point. The point is politicians,
because of their high visibility,
are public figures who are held
up to higher standards than pri
vate citizens. We expect more
from politicians because they
have pledged to represent us.
Maybe Packwood is innocent,
hut a lot of Oregonians believe he
is guilty. Because of this, they are
angry enough to fight every move
he makes in his position as sen
ator.
We made sure |olin paid for
her dishonesty. By pledging to
remember the ordeal Packwood
allegedly put these women
through, and by demanding )us
tioe. we can make sure that Pack
wood also pays.
If Packwood really cares about
Oregon, he will do the decent
thing and resign. Oregon needs
representatives who can concen
trate on Oregon's interests. Park
wood is too busy fending off
these accusations to get much of
anything else done.
Stephanie Sisson writes a
monthly column for the Emerald