Oregon Daily
FRIDAY. OCTOBER a 1993
EUGENE. OREGON
VOLUME 95. ISSUE 28
Fall in full bloom
1£ *k l£ GAl l iAMOt «*J
Denell Solberg. junior in journalism, chooses a lily from the University Rhythm 5 Blooms stand
r
Students allege
discrimination
from professor
j Professor Arnulf Zweig denies all
harassment charges
By Edward Klopfenstein
Alleged sexual harassment victim Sandra Neuman
doesn't just point fingers at her former teat her. i’rofes
sor Arnulf Zweig. she also blames the University lor
maintaining .1 system that ignores the rights of Univer
sity students and staff
"The issue is a system th.it allows people like Zweig
to continue to harass women." she said 111 a telephone
interview Saturday "What I'm interested in is that these
issues need to tie addressed
In the complaint filed with the attorney general's offii e.
Newman said she will do whatever is nei essary to end
not only harassment hv Zweig. hut also "to corns t the
philosophy department's systematic tltsi rimination
against female graduate students
Allegations of sexual harassment were confirmed by
the I fee He U)<l 1. resignation letter of Professor (.atlier
iiiii Wilson, chairwoman of the philosophy department
before Zweig. A set turn of the letter was included in
Newman s complaint
Wilson said in the letter that many ot the department's
graduate students complained of being "systematical
ly" oppressed Wilson decided the complaints were not
so much sexual harassment, but loose talk by faculty
Turn to ZWEIG, Page 3A
1
Resident assistant position defies easy explanation
j RA keeps order, pulls
pranks
By Artk Hesseldahl
Orotfon Dally f ’Hir.i'd
Whenever you read these words, you
can bet L.<[rrv Hoffman has already tieen
busy at work.
Fay Hoffman a visit or a phone call
as late as 1 a m., and you are likely to get
a civil answer, rather thun a rancorous
monster raving about lack of sleep.
The earliest hours of the morning are
considered prime working hours among
those in Hoffman's profession Hoffman
is one of 56 KAs in the University Hous
ing system All humorous explanations
of the initials aside (most cannot lie print
ed here), the letters stand for Resident
Assistant, and the job defies an easy
description to those unfamiliar with
dorm life.
Conventional wisdom, and just a bit
of traditional college mythology, have
carved certain expectations of the KA role
in dormitory life into stone. Yes. it is true,
RAs do tend to break up dorm parties,
but Hoffman, a third-year KA in McClain
Hall . will tell you there is nothing fun
alHiut that end of the job
"Who in their right mind would want
to piss off the MOO people they live with?"
Hof fin <in asked rfietorii ally of the idea
that RAs are on power trips
"Having to document an incident (usu
ally a dorm party) is the worst pari of the
jot) I trv to take the position of helping
the person who has made the choice to
party in the dorms understand the pos
sible consequences of their actions In
some cases they're not mature enough to
see it that way," he said
It makes you wonder how and why he
started the job, or why anyone would.
"I've always been a student activist."
he said, and ran down a long list of pre
vious student leadership positions.
including various high si hool positions
and (Irand Poohoh of his sophomore
dorm
Aftiir two years of majoring in inde
cision (four majors and six minors), the
KA position helped Hoffman zero in on
a management and finiim e double major,
and to pursue a career ill human
resources. '11ns year he will write a senior
thesis on the role of RAs ns educators.
"For anybody who wants to work with
people, this is the most incredible job."
lie said. "1 think of it like an internship.
Most internships are not worth the mon
Turn to DORMS. Page 13A
Research might carry too much weight in tenure process
□ Commission to address concerns about
overemphasis on research and publishing
By Julie Swensen
Oregon Daffy Emerald
Whether the granting of tenure at the University weighs too heav
ily upon the research a professor produces, instead of the quality of
that professor's teaching, has Iwen a topic: of debate on this campus
and campuses nationwide.
It's a fact of life that some professors may not be given tenure because
they haven't done enough research, giving true meaning to the phrase,
"publish or perish."
Some professors may have believed they didn't have enough time
to do research, or have chosen not to. concentrating on other areas.
Others may not have been clear as to what the expectations of suc
cessful tenure candidates were.
As a result of the current process, some professors say a terrific
researcher — who may be barely adequate as a teacher — is more like
ly to get tenure than a master teacher who may lie barely adequate as
a researcher.
Tom Wheeler, an associate professor in the journalism school, said
he has heard other professors discuss that possibility.
"1 think it's fair to say that there is a concern that that is really
the way it is,” Wheeler said. "It's a concern that I assume is not mine
alone."
At a time when universities across the country are scrutinizing the
expectations of teaching and research from faculty, the University
is no exception.
The Commission on Faculty Rewards and Development, established
by University President Myles Brand earlier this year, is looking into
the tenure and promotion process, and could possibly make some
changes.
The commission will address — among other issues
— whether an instructor could be promoted to pro
fessor primarily on the basis of teaching excellence,
and whether the quantity of research expected from
faculty is emphasized more than quality.
In fields where traditional publishing is not carried
out. the commission will address what the proper def
inition and weight of creative contributions should be
for teachers in those fields.
If a faculty member chooses not to publish or do research, the com
mission should decade what other criteria should be used, according
to a mission statement given to faculty from University Professor Don
Udovic. chairman of the commission.
But if the commission does make any changes, those may come too
Turn to TENURE. Page 13A
Larry Singed