Oregon Daily
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1993
EUGENE. OREGON
VOLUME 95, ISSUE 60
Students accuse ‘Emerald’ of bigotry, insensitivity
□ Members of the
Black Student Union
demand changes to
editorial policy
By Edward Klopfensteln
Oteyor Daily Eme'M
Members of the Black Student
Union accused the Oregon Daily
Emerald of "latent bigotry and
prejudice" nt a Monday press
conference and demanded
changes in the paper's editorial
policy.
The press conference was
sparked by the Emerald’s use of
several mug shots portraying
three black University of Wash
ington students accused of sex
abuse and burglary The photos
were supplied by the Eugene
Police Department.
The photos' placement on
page one of the Nov. 2 edition
represents the Emerald's insen
sitivity to minority issues, said
Nichole Muhammad, director of
the BSU.
"By releasing an article deal
ing with issues of a sexual
nature concurrent with pho
tographs of young black men.
the Emerald exacerbates the
racial tension prevalent in
Eugene, which mirrors the situ
ation throughout the nation,"
she said in her speech. The
city's three major TV stations
and the Eugene Register-Guard,
along with several campus pub
lications, attended the press
conference.
"This has really taken me by
surprise.” said Emerald Editor
JCFF PASLAV/tnwWd
Staphanla Patara (laft) and Nlchola Muhammad loin olhar mambara of tha Black Studant Union In pro
aantlng tha EitwraM with a Hat of damanda outaida tha nawapapar a off leas on Monday.
in-Chief lake Berg about the
opposition to the use of the pho
tos. "Before this, 1 only saw two
letters to the editor and then a
flyer about two weeks ago.”
Minority students also voiced
opposition to past stories in a
private meeting with the editor
about two weeks ago, said Berg,
but the three photos featured on
the Nov. 2 edition didn't seem ns
great a concern at the time as
student of color issues.
Muhammad featured several
past Emerald stories in her
speech, which she said repre
sent the paper's insensitivity to
minorities on campus.
A Jan. 26 Emerald story
focused on Otis Scarborough, a
black OPS officer cited with sex
ual harassment. Another article
that concerned BSU members
was a story that ran in the fall of
1990, which reported on sexual
assault charges against a black
athlete formerly with the Oregon
Ducks.
Both stories were accompa
nied by photos.
Hut Muhammad points to
other stories not on blacks or
other minorities this fall that
didn't have photos, including
one that featured a white profes
sor cited by the University (or
sexual harassment and another
about <i Korean student accused
of rape
"Journalists have a social
responsibility to service their
c onimunities by presenting the
(nets of a newsworthy story and
not interpreting them." she said
After the press conference.
HSU members protested in front
of the Emerald office and pre
sented Herg with a list of sug
gested changes to the Emerald'*
editorial polit v and a Dei I
deadline for a response.
Included were requests for a
higher percentage of minority
staff memlters. better training on
minority issues, a weekly < ul
timo about minority activities
and an apology for the Nov 2
photos.
If Berg doesn't meet the Dec :i
response deadline. Muhammad
soid HSU members would
decide on a response at that
time.
Herg was not sure if he could
discuss all the options with staff
and the Emerald board of direc
tors and offer a reply by the
deadline, but said he would do
his liest.
Yosief Kmbaye, an undergrad
uate student majoring in inter
national relations, said he agrees
with the HSU that the Emerald
needs a more consistent photo
policy.
Turn to EMERALD. Page 5A
Citizens debate bridge solutions
□ More than 150
residents turn out to
discuss expansion of
Ferry Street Bridge
By Rebecca Merritt
Oregon Daily Emerakt
Plans to decrease traffic con
gestion on the Ferry Street Bridge
creeped one step further Monday
as more than 150 concerned res
idents attended a Eugene City
Council hearing to discuss pos
sible solutions.
Although the debate over
which solution would best meet
Eugene's needs hasn’t disap
peared. most of the people speak
ing at the hearing agreed that it's
time for the Council to reach a
decision and utilize the federal
money that has been earmarked
for the project.
"It is time we act upon a plan
to improve the Ferry Street
Bridge." said Eugene resident
Bruce Bergby "Build a bridge
that will see us through the next
century.”
The majority of last night's dis
cussion focused on the three
solutions recommended to the
Council more than two weeks ago
by the planning commission and
the Citizen's Advisory Commit
tee. which was organized in 198H
to work on remedies for conges
tion on the Ferry Street Bridge
The planning commission favors
a six-lane bridge with room for u
hike and pedestrian lane on each
side. The bridge could he ex [Mind
ed to eight lanes if needed.
The citizens' committee rec
ommended an eight-lane bridge,
and both committees support a
six-lane “Franklin Boulevard
Option." This option would con
nect 6th and 7th Avenues with
Broadway and relocate main
access to Highway 99 through
Agripac facilities. Two proposed
options that would build bridges
through Alton Baker Park were
eliminated by both committees,
as well as the no-huild option.
Several people at last night's
hearing said they support a six
ktna or an eight-lane bridge
because it is needed to accom
modate the needs of the city's
growing population. The city
already fails to meet emergency
and safety needs because of traf
fic problems around the bridge,
said Michael Roberts. An expand
ed bridge would allow ambu
lances to reach Sacred Heart
Hospital faster and would speed
up police and fire responses.
Others said an expanded
bridge would improve access to
downtown and would help stop
businesses from relocating out
side of downtown.
"We need to do everything we
t an to support downtown and
facilitate access." said Gene
Pritchard.
Still, several people aren't sat
isfied with the city's effort and
believe more emphasis should 1st
placed on alternative transporta
tion mode*. One group of citizens
have proposed a “Mill Street
Alternative Mode" bridge that
would build an mass transit and
emergency vehicle bridge west of
the Ferry Street Bridge
Others say that none of the
city's proposals are acceptable
and planners need to consider the
impact of the bridge project on
the entire city.
“We haven't proceeded this
planning process with a vision."
said jerry Rust, Lane County
Commissioner.
The City Council will accept
public written comment about
the bridge project until Dec. 2,
said Pam Berrian. City Council
coordinator. The council will
then work toward a feasible solu
tion that will probably be referred
to a vote of Eugene residents.
Once a decision is approved
by (he Council and the voters,
the city will undergo an exten
sive design process for a new
bridge
Conduct Program reports
cheating to be on the rise
□ Campus dishonesty has generated
concern among faculty, administrators
By Julie Sweneen
O*gori Dairy [marold
The number of University students wfio hove been caught
cheating has steudily increased over the past four years,
according to the Student Conduct Program's annual report
During the 1992-93 academic year. 44 cases of academic dis
honesty were referred to the Student Conduct program That 's
an increase from 35 cases in 1991-92. 30 cases in 1990-91 and
27 cases in 1989-90.
But whether that moans there is an increase in cheating, or
just wider reporting, is difficult to interpret.
"! don't hove any data to say that it (cheating) has increased,
but I think the numbers go up when the faculty reports it
more.” said Elaine Green, student conduct coordinator, who
also said the increase could be attributed to a growing concern
about values and ethics.
But some faculty and administrators say the 44 cases are not
representative of the problem.
"With a student body of close to 17,000.1 think most rea
sonable people would assume there are more cases than that."
said Norm Wessells, University provost and vice president for
academic affairs.
The number of students who admit to cheating has varied
widely in different surveys. A recent Oregon State University
study found that 25 percent of the 500 university students sur
veyed admitted to cheating on an exam. But in a 1992 survey
by Donald McCabe — a study that is regarded as the most
Turn to CHEATING. Page 5A