EDITORIAL Board wants student to pay for its mistake For a branch of the ASUO to come under fire twice In less than a week is not all that unusual. But when that branch is active for less than two weeks of the entire year, you’ve got to start wondering. Of course, we're talking about tho ASUO Elections Board, which is responsible for running the yearly ASUO elections. In the primary election, first-year law student Oscar Garcia received enough write-in votes for Student Sen ate seat No. 17 to qualify for the general election — and the elections board error machine kicked into full gear. Garcia should have have been elated at his primary success. And he probably would have been had the elec tions board bothered to notify him. Garcia first learned of his advancement to the general election in the April 29 Emerald. A similar problem arose in the ASUO Executive race as well, when Leslie Warren and Mark Johnson’s only information concerning the fate of their campaign came from tho Emerald, it is tho obligation and duty of tho elections board, not the Emerald, to promptly notify candidates of the results of their campaigns. Garcia said he was notified after the general election that, even though he rocoived the most votes, ho would not be seated. Confused (and rightly so), Garcia asked, "Why?" Because, he was told, ho did not officially file for the seat. According to ASUO election rules, a candidate who re< nives enough votes in a primary election to be placed on tho general election ballot, must first officially file for the office being sought. Of course, because no one officially notified Garcia of his success in the primary, and because no one informed him of his obligation to file for the office, he did not. The rules are quite clear in this matter. A candidate who does not file cannot be placed on the general elec tion ballot. In fact, the rules are so clear, the elections board placed Garcia on the ballot anyway. Garcia wont on to receive 64 votes and win the elec tion. But now the elections board has decided that, because of its mistake, Garcia cannot bo declared the win ner. Garcia's only mistake was assuming the elections board know what it was doing. Garcia said ho was told tho board couldn't contact him during tho days loading up to tho general olection. Yet, the day after, it had no problem getting in touch with him. Garcia's phone number, as listed in the student direc tory. is not correct because he has moved. However, every law studont has a porsonal mailbox at the law school. The board, had it actually made an effort, would have figured this out and left a note in his box. Or it could have left a note with the law school secretary. Or it could have done whatever it did to learn Garcia's phone number, but in one or two days, instead of eight. Garcia is filing a complaint with the Constitution Court, asking to be seated. And because the board effectively waived the filing requirement by placing Garcia on the ballot, he should be given the seat to which he was duly elocted. Oregon Daily Emerald Tha Oagon 0*ty fmarafcl rt putX.»N»J daily Monday through Fnday Axing lha achooi y«a> and Tuaaday and Thuiaday du’ing tha aummat by tha Oagon Daily EroataKJ PuOt.ah.ng Co me . at tha llnniararty ot Oagon. Eugana. Oagon Tha tmaiata opmataa mdapa«oantty ot tha t*v»ar*ity «xth ott.caa at Soaa 300 o< tha Ero Mamonai Union and t» a mamba> ot tha Aaaooatad P>aaa Tha Eroatatd « pnvata propariy Tha untaatut 'amooal ot uaa ot papara > fxoaaeutiOia by taw Editor Pat Malach Naw* Editor Editorial Editor Oraphica Editor EntortaMmaril Editor JM* Barg M»--n t ■**« P»*l*V fmy* Mom Sports Editor Editorial Editor Supptemonts Editor Night Editor Dava C'wtxxv'aau fW* Assn. Matt Bender Justm Brown. Sarsn Clani M«g Oedotph. Amy Devonpod Jon ESrton. Amanda Fartve. Anthony EcvnOy Been Hege Teresa Muni Unger L.ss M*.n Rebecca Merr.tt. Steve AAms Katy Mooiior. tiltmi MuoAor. Trises Nose. Ellen Shaw E><* Student* a. Motion Suitor. Randy Trwooen Me here Thompson Agu>ar Amy Van Tuyi. Todd WJham», Osyton Yee Oonorsl Manager Judy Rwdi Production Manager AAchere Ross Advertising lom leech Sues Atanaper Shawn Server i>tiv* Manage' Jane lioia Teresa laabeBe PhtSp Johnson M Chns Kanote Jeremy Mayor: Von V 08»yan II Gasan Oh. Etachaol T m*. Angie IArmeim Classified Betsy Mer-ewil Manager Berry logon Sharon Sauwi Dtstritxitron Braxton Anderso" No Mannnmg Qraham Simpson Business Kathy Carbon*. Supervisor Judy Connony Production Ingrid White Pradvcton CoOh»nafci' Knsl.hO Granger Oee AACot* Slaty Mrtcho*. Jenn-ler Roland. JennJet Sm.th Hrmvoom Busincu Otfic* 346*5511 346*5512 Otftptay Advertising Classified Advertising MN712 346 4J4J Round and round and round ke gpes. ^Ik f vvo v&ms rm ac*^iuc His 60"V<5 /i J /VoeoOV KNOMl -i $w LETTERS Empowerment After reading the letter in the Emerald about being "Glad to leave" (ODE. March 8). I real ized I am also glad to go. The outcome of 1990'* ballot Mea sure 5 is unfortunate to say the least; hut we should do a little soul-searching to find out if some of our money is being spent in ways not only foolish, but also contrary to the values of our democracy. As someone who has held a variety of jobs to pay tuition, I am angered that no student input is allowed on the pur chase of periodicals for the Knight Library. I find Playboy demeaning to women I don't think 1 am alone in my view In addition, the University Bookstore's pornographic selec tions add more degradation and violence to a society already steeped in troth. Worse yet is the fact that every college student at the Uni versity funds the library's sub scription. I wrote letters to the adminis trators of both the Knight Library and the bookstore. How ever. as experienced by many minority students, my voice also was not heard How many oth ers have felt powerless when dealing with the administration? How about getting power out of the hands of a few and into the hands of many? After all. it's our university. Kay* Rauch Science Final word I was disappointed by the April 13 diatribe from Kurt Lan dre in response to my recent comments in these pages about "cognitive com part inentali ra tion" (ODE. April 12 and 15). Basically, my contention boils down to this: Principles of clear thinking should be applied uni formly to both non-religious and religious know ledge (and truth) claims. Minimally, there are three tests of validation that any proposition (or belief) that is to i»t* considered credible must moot: First, is there verified evi dence in support of the asser tion in question? Second, does the assertion involve logical internal consistency? Third, is the assertion compatible with previously validated knowledge claims? On the basis of these evalua tive criteria, the Christian reli gious doctrine of a "virgin birth” (for example) fails the tests of credible plausibility — and people who employ tiuiir intellectual faculties consistent ly and critically will express genuine skepticism about any such proposition Not to do so gives rise to what I have described as cognitive compart inentalization. In short, those propositions that are not backed up by evi dence and credible validation procedures do not constitute confirmed knowledge, but mere ly unsubstantiated belief. Accordingly, to pledge one's full allegiance to various religious doctrines of dubious credibility, while also affirming the need for tests of validation to evaluate non-religious knowledge claims, is to manifest inconsistent cog nitive compartmentalization. Contrary to Landre's opinion, one does not have to be a "spe cialist" in theology or philoso phy to understand the logic of this analysis The use of one’s critical intelligence is the only requirement. I rest my case. Ron Rousseve Professor Counseling Psychology 100 days fair The editorial "Clinton’s 100 days unfair measurement" (ODE. April 26) doesn't inter pret the 100-day assessment adequately The reason columnists are criticizing Clinton's firs! 100 days is because these days have been disappointing. True. FDR's 100 days were a great success in pari her .insi' of the Depression, But Clinton's platform in the campaign was that America was in a similar (albeit less severe) crisis, and he was the man for change. The lirst 100 days are what many tall the "honeymoon peri od." the time when the country is excited and hopeful about the new president, and when the president generally has the broadest support and is most likely to introduce successful legislation. So far. Clinton has been somewhat less than suc cessful (to say the least) when it counts to legislation. I am a supporter of Clinton and I do believe he has noble intentions, but as the 100 days wind down and support for him becomes less enthusiastic, my optimism fades into a realiza tion that we may be in for anoth er four years of deadlock. I hope I am wrong. Slav* Johnson Finance Political Science Sorry I have decided to write one more time, but this time to dis pute myself. I wrote a letter [ODE. April 30) in response to Eric Eckhart's letter [ODE. April 27). and now 1 want to comment on my own letter Reading back over the letter. I realize how short and cut off it was; for that I am sorry Eric wrote a beautiful letter; he was clear and to the point. Although my views on homo sexuality are different than hts, I feel it wasn't my place to dis pute him. God really got me for that one. I guess that's what 1 get for let ting my human nature get the best of me again. Once again. 1 am sorry. Kristen Kessler Psychology