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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1993)
EDITORIAL Programs too costly for most students Next Tuesday and Wednesday, students will vote on nine student-sponsored ballot measures. Five involve increasing incidental fees Although each has merits, only one of the five should pass. Measure -I asks students to pay S6 per term for an LTD pass Finn Off-campus students deserve cheap trans portation to and from s< hool. And if other students don't use the pass, they can got a full refund shortly after the term starts, or a partial refund within the term. The other four fee measures aren’t as justifiable, not because they aren't conceptually valid but because thev involve increasing noil-refundable student foes, which this paper soundly opposes. Students must pay $103 every term in student fees already . in addition to S8Q4 per quarter for tuition, the level of which has inc reased steadily — about 30 percent sine e ttHiO's ballot Measure 5. And tuition will con limit’ to skyrocket as higher education adjusts to this newer. l»*ain*r tax base. In other words, many students ran hardly afford to attend si hoo! anymore Some have to postpone their educa tion to earn money for tuition, others quit completely Increasing student fees along with tuition just doesn't make sense. As was the case with the now defunct columns near the entrance of University Street, the image of saving money can often be more important than saving money itself. Proponents uf the measures will say that each program requires a relative ly small increase. True. However, several small increas es add up to one largo increase. The four measures would add a combined $4 13 per quarter. $12.39 for the year. And keep in mind that incidental fees could be higher next year, depending on the this year's IFC bud got allocations. It adds up. In addition, it would l>e wise symbolically to level fees rather than raise them. Every year, students campaign for ASUC) and IFC positions by saying that student foes will go down. If they actually do decrease, students will be grateful that even a little burden is being lifted. For once, it will feel like student government genuinely identi fies with the student body- As was the case with the now-defunct columns near the entrance of University Street, the image of saving money can often bo more important than saving money itself. The Multicultural Center, the Sexual Assault Exam Fund, the Family Center and the Non-traditional Student Office are all valid programs and offer needed support for various campus factions. Hut all need to find alter native sources of funding, whether it comes from fundraisers, alumni donations or outside grants. Student fees are high enough. Emerald PO 00 ■ J’*,* IlKifNt 0**t C»ON 9 ’ 4c Tr-.* »«**' deny f <W« .» pudkWvad d*iy Evilly mnwgh Fhdey duonj the >ChiX> y«t«f and Tuetday and Thyreday dunng the yymtne' by the Oregon Daily ftnetaid Pubkahuig Co Inc at the Un.ve>*dy o» Oregon f ogene Oagon The Emerak) operate* ndependenny ot the Urwvervty wtth o«<ce* at Soke 300 ol the E<b Manxei limo" and i* a mymtw ot the Aaaooated FVe*» The I ■he>aid « t»nate property The uniawtui removal y uae o< paper* • protecutade t>> taw Editor PatMaiach New* Edttc* Edilcxiel Edit cm Graphic* Editor Entertainment Editor Man>n f .»/><* M" PaBlUf ft&fM Ho#n Spans Editor Edllortsl Editor Suppismsnlt Editor Ntpht Editor Q»v* Cr»t)CKvi»»u Rmk* Januan Cttmy A/xJ*f»O' VtafV' l.tW Associate Editors: Tammy Haley Sludent Gownmtnt Activities Oaiaiyn Ttappe Commonly. Conaen Pohhg. f<*jcMxy\A3m>nurst«y, News Staff: Chester Allen, Mall Band* Just*! Broem Sarah Clark Mag Oedolph Am, Deverwort Jan fa son Amanda Fame, Anthony Fomay Bam Mage Taraaa Huntamgar Li»a Mauri Rebecca Merritt. Slava M.m» Katy Moeller T.H.n. Mueller. Tnsia No*. E«en Snaw fries Studencka. Marion Suitor Randy Thieben Michele Thompson Agmar. Am, V*t Tuyt Todd WHkams. Clayton Yaa Oanarai Manager Judy Rad Production Man ■ gay Mcheie Roa* Advertising: Tom laech. Sharon Vax. Saws AAmagam Shaem Barvan. OtVe Manage Jana kola. Taraaa IsAbeae. Phri«> Johnson II. Chris Kanofl Jar am y Mason Van V O'Bryan it. Grfian Oh. Rachaai Trul. An^a Wndw" ClaaaHiad flacky Merchant. AAsnager B»*y Logan. Sharon Sauve Distribution: Brandon Anderson Nick Mannnmg. Graham S-mpaon Business: Kathy Carbone. Supervisor Judy Connoay Production: myy) White. Production Coortknator Knalme Granger Dee McCobe Stacy Mtcneo. Jann-Ier Roland. Jenniler Smith J44-M11 MUtll Nmioom Orttc* Dtiptay AdvartUMg OukM Advrtmng MMJU JIBS' HE DEFWS© \tamxm mam ran Action needed now on Measure 5 Ask the President Myles Brand //oh- do you feel the Legisla ture is handling the current budget problems with respect to Measure 5? Explain what students can expect in the com ing years with the changing scope of slate higher educa tion. There t% a large i loud over head. 1 am speaking figu ratively and not about the rain cloud* we have seen in the past few weeks The name of that i loud is "Measure 5." Measure 5. for those who have been asleep, is the property tax limitation legislation that was passed in November 1990 through the initiative process Without detailing all the partic ulars of this complex legislation, it suffices to say that it results in significantly decreased funding to all state agencies Higher edu cation is a state ageni v At the University, the decreased funding from the state resulted in closing most of our teacher education programs, the College of Human Development and Performanc e and the down sizing of 20 other programs, plus substantial tuition hikes All of that occurred in the first bienni um Measure 5 was in effect The cuts increase geometrically for the next few biennia, and the cuts for the third biennium, 1995-97, are so draconian that it is almost impossible to think or talk about them To solve this problem, there must !«• tax stabilization that is new legislation that holts the decrease in state revenues. That <an occur in either of two ways the State Legislature taking m tion or Oregon voters approv ing another initiative Unfortunately, many are beginning to doubt the Legisla ture will be able to break out of its current gridbx k With the currant split lietween the House and Senate and the divergent ideolugu al stances of the two political parties, the opportune ts (or i omprotnise and action is not great I hope the immediate future proves me wrong, but do not count on it No one. however, should con clude that the only remaining option available to us is to Ihm ome depressed and tune out or drop out, either metaphori cally or actually. Although the Legislature itself may not resolve the crisis, it can help open the door for voters to resolve the issues though the initiative process Legislative leaders cun work with the private sector, espei ial !y the business i ornniunity. and the public sector, it* iudmg the schools, higher education and labor, to craft a proposal ac< ept able to the general public Sur veys have shown that the most ai l eptable tax stabilization plan is one that involves a soles tax dedicated loedmution (primar ily the schools, but perhaps also higher education), with the exemptions needed to make it progressive, such as exempting food, shelter and medicine. Leg islative leaders also need to assist in assuring I hat such a proposal is voted upon sooner, rather than later A good out i time would he a tax stabilizn lion’proposal on the ballot this fall As a growing number of peo ple liegin to realize the depth of tile problem, we are seeing some movement toward a solution, though we are not ye! there. We need to continue to find ways to encourage that important change of outlook I pledge to do all in mv power to bring about tins change and to hope e\erv one at the University will con tinue to t.ike advantage of even opportunity to he helpful in resolving this crisis We can each help by continu ing to remind our elected state officials that we want to lie able to vote on tax stabilization in the very near future. When our ( banco comes, when a good alternative finally reac hes the ballot, we should t>e prepared to work for its passage and to VOTE. I! is up to us, all of us. and not untruly to the statu Legislature, to fix the problem. What the ini tiative process has wrought, so i an the initiative process repair After all. only all our futures depend on it Afv/es Brand is president of the l 'imersity Kditor's note: Hrnnd agreed to lake part in the "Ask the Presi dent" columns, in which the Emerald forwards a question to the President's Office for Brand's response LETTERS Agenda exposed The Emerald's attacks against the Incidental Fee Committee and its chairman, Steve Masat, seek to promote a political agen da aimed at taking power away from students. The Emerald's news reporting on IFC affairs this year has been characterized by bad reporting and outright misrepresentation to suit the ends of a few student editors. Its diatribes against Masat are especially wrongheaded and misplaced Masat is one of the few voices of sanity in a student government characterized by a profound lack of leadership and direction. Under his leadership, the 1FC has provided minimal financial support for numerous programs that serve and empow er students. At the same time, the IFC has attempted to save students' money and promote empower ment by taking a critical look at the KMU's super top-heavy man agement structure and its long term plans to fire student work ers and bust the union at the EMU. Masat and the IKC deserve our support. These are the people who havo been fighting for the interests of all students. Jason Moore Editor, Student Insurant