Lobbyists back mammogram measures By Sarah Sarzynski Fc* tr* Oregon Darty £ met am Women’s groups are finding difficulty lobbying Senate Bill 905 and House Bill 2971 currently in the Oregon Legislature These bills would prohibit insurance companies from discrimi nating against women. Specifically, HB 2971 would force insurance companies to cover the costs of mammography. SB 905 goes one step further by includ ing necessary coverage of contrac eptives and gynecological exams It would also prohibit pregnancy from being considered a pre-exist ing condition for the purpose of insurance c overage Oregon remains one of the eight statics that does not require insur ance companies to cover mammograms as a pari of health coverage Presently in the Oregon Legislature, the House of Representatives has a Republican majority and the Senate has a Democratic: majority. Lolly Champion, president of the Susan C». Roman Breast Cancer Foundation in Portland, cites the mammography issue pitting Democrats against Republic ans ns one of the reasons neither of the bills hove been approved vet. "Breast and c ervical canc ers, however, don't just strike Democra tic women." she said. Lmi Smith, president of the Oregon Breast Cancer l.oalitton. said the biggest problem in lobbying for these bills has been "overcoming the resistance of the male member* of the Legislature '' Insurance companies also are actively fighting against these hills mostly because they dislike the word "mandate." m cording to stud ies by Champion Champion said women themselves have I at ked initiative in get ting the breast cancer issue raised and enacted "Breast cancer is a social issue." she said "It affei ts women per sonally. which makes the breast cancer issue different than the fight for other publii care (pauses." Currently. MB 2971 lias passed the House and will probably pass through the Senate The more comprehensive SB 905 has passed through the Senate but is being discussed in a i ommen e i omniit tee in the House headed by Republican Hep bldon Johnson. Champion believes it will never leave this committee and never get the chance to move on to the House floor and be voted upon She urges concerned citizens to call House Speaker l.arrv Campbell at 378-8977 and Johnson at 378-8889 and request a hearing and a work session for SB 905 CREDIT Continued from Page 6 fall form of 1994. Higher education officials see this as a good move ns the state battles the effects of 1990‘s Measure 5. "We want to stop students from doing what I call major shopping." said Grog Park er, a spokesman for the state Board of High er Education. "We just want to motivate stu dents to finish their educations quicker. The board thinks some added motivation is nec essary for students to fm:ns on a major." The motivation is financial. Resident undergraduate students at the University currently pay $907 a quarter in tuition. But if the Credit Threshold Policy takes effect, a resident undergraduate student who exceeds the credit limit is declared a non-resident and would pay $i!.fi J 7 a quurter. Under the current system, the state of Ore gon subsidizes all in-stute undergraduate students. For every tuition dollar an under graduate pays, the state contributes two tax dollars. But the higher education budget is facing cutbacks. The state's four universities and four regional colleges watched higher edu cation’s share of the general fund drop from 15 percent to JO percent. The governor's proposed budget for 1993 95 earmarks $646 million for higher educa tion. Tliis is $85 million less than Oregon's statu colleges and universities received under the 1991-93 budget. These budget cuts will only get worse Measure 5 will cut another 20 percent from the 1995-97 higher education budget The projected $120 million cut to higher education in the 1895-97 biennium is expected to equal the state support allotted to the University in 1995-97. For these reasons, higher education offi cials see the policy as a necessary. "It's appropriate to establish limits sup port from the state coffers. Wo need limits us to how long the state will fund student}, said Herb Chereck. the University registrar. "There are limitations on resources that stu dents need to realize " Chereck said 56 undergraduate students enrolled for fall term of 1992 at the Univer sity hud more than 234 credits upon enter ing. These students would have been affect ed by the policy change. Chereck also said the state, under the new policy, would extend financial aid to '•in dents for five years If u student dei ides to return for a sixth year as an undergraduate, he or she would pay the full cost of educa tion. The full cost of education means the stu dent would no longer rei eivo the state sub sidy of $1.7 to per quarter and pay $W)7 per quarter in tuition Under the new policy, stu dents found to exceed the credit limit would pay $2.607 in tuition per quarter “The policy Indore the hoard recommends that in a time of limited resources it seems reasonable that students beyond a certain point in their educations should not lie sub sidized by the state,'' Chert* k said Hut some students s»h> the policy as a way to punish hard-working students. ''It's not fair that people are blaming stu dents for the state's budgeting problems,' said Kaquel Karls, a University student. “The Hoard of Higher Education tias no idea what students go through to get an educa tion.” Karls said that the board, instead of forc ing students to hurry In achieving their edu cations. should concentrate on spending money more wisely. f SUNDERLAND 5CVt0€0 OAMES Mn STREET ( PUBIC MARKET 683-8464 ( v -•! VIDEO ADVENTURE ^ kVAUlY PWVf A P1A/A •* «.•» '*« MWI V * THY ft ““ *WU ««U The Copy Shop Open Mon-Frt B-7 Sat 10-4 Ooftwawrt Paflamy? A ferry Right an tMi 485-6253 EUGENE SELFSTOR SPECIAL STUDENT RATES Call 344-2710 1070 Bertelsen (at corner of W. 11 th) Shmniot 3ap