Fiscal fallout makes credit cap sensible Students havo a responsibility to the taxpayers of Ore gon: Get a diploma and got out. The state Board of Higher Education reviewed a plan Friday to put a cap on undergraduate credit hours. The University would charge students out-of-state tuition if they Exceed 48 credit hours beyond their particular degree requirements. Good idea. The board also doesn't want to make exceptions for victims of unfortunate cir cumstances. Not so good. It's a smart policy for ono simple reason: 1990's Ballot Moasure 5 wrecked the state's budget, and thus the Uni versity can no longer afford to fund superfluous student desires. Taxpayers currently pay for two-thirds of every in state student’s education. As unfair as it sounds, the school needs to be realistic. If students are taking advan tage of a subsidized education for courses beyond what they need, they should pay for it. Naysayers will claim that a broad education encompasses as many different courses as possible. And it does. But the state simply can't afford it anymore. In addition, the sooner a student leaves school, the sooner taxpayers' money can go toward an incoming stu dent. This is especially relevant given that state officials expect 40 percent more high school graduates in Oregon during the next 10 years. Gov Barbara Roberts has dis cussed a University enrollment cap. moaning unless turnover among students is high, extra high school grad uates will have to go elsewhere. College students need to realize that by hogging credits, they are keeping others out. * The problem with the policy is its hard-lined stance against appeals. The policy should be aimed at so-called "professional" students, people who take classes for a living because they don’t want to face the real world They change majors every so often, take meaningless electives and generally goof off. siphoning money from the University in the process. The victims of the policy are those who are trying to get the most out of their education For them, there should be exceptions. First, it should affect only students starting their fresh man year in fall l‘J94. Current students haven't had the chance to factor this twist into their schedules. Socond. students returning to school for a second degree should bo exempt. If a person chooses to attack a tough, yet ambitiously structured, schedule, he or she should have that option. Third, exceptions should bo made for students who pick a field of study early on but discover in the second or third year of the program that it is torturous. If it looks as though students will go 48 hours over, perhaps the University could allow them to alter their emphasis before the start of their junior or senior year. But only once. And last, transfer students who have loaded up on credits at a previous institution deserve special consid eration Oregon Daily Emerald po uo* ji% iugcm The Oragon D»ty » published daily Monday through I 'day during th« school »oar and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by tha Oragon OaJy Emerald Publishing Co Inc at tha University ol Oragon, tugana. Oragon !ha Emerald operate* independently o> tha University with oltica* at Su«a 300 0# me f rfc Mor'- ruK Umon and ■» a mamba# ol tha Associated P'r^i Tha t ma#a*d a pn.aio property Tha umawtul removal or use 01 papa's « prosecutable by taw Naan Editor Editorial Editor Qraphlca Editor Entertainment Editor Editor Pat M.i *r daae Barg Martin T nhar Jolt Pasiay freya Mom Sports Editor Editorial Editor Suppiamants Editor Night Editor Dava Chaibonnaau Rivers Janssen Galley Anderson Jake Ba>g Aaaociata Editors Tammy Batay Sluda-i Government Activities Da’ay" Trappe. &vnmw#vfy Ccnae” Pohfcg. Ikpher f ducafion A^ti "I.'rd'ori News Stan Chaaler Alien Matt Bandar Justm Brown Sarah Clark Mag Dadolph. Amy Davarpod Jen Canon. Amanda fe#n.e Anthony fomey Bath Hage Taru Muntsmger l sa M.i. Rebate a Mar t Stem Mmy Katy Moaner T ttm Mua»e> T "Ha Noel E»en Shaw f -Oi StuttrmiCka Manon Sudor. Randy Trveben M._~hem Thompson Agu-ar Amy Van luyi Todd