EDITORIAL
Williamson, Kelton
choice for ASUO
Student! will bo faced with a number of choices for
ASUO Executive. But while the number of tickets run
ning might be high, the choice far students is clear.
Jennifer Williamson and Zac.h Kelton are the best qual
ified and most experienced candidates for ASUO presi
dent and vice president.
Williamson and Kelton demonstrate the professional
ism and commitment necessary to effectively run stu
dent government at the University
Both candidates have experience in a number of
ASUO offices and boards However, their commitment
to the students does not end with official titles in Suite
4 Williamson has worked with Projet t Saferide ami the
Women's Center, while Kelton has served as a Psychol
ogy peer advisor. The candidates have experience in the
community and University that extends beyond student
government.
Williamson and Kelton articulate reasonable and real
istic solutions to University issues. While very able to
discuss their own positions on issues, the two also know
how to listen. Williamson and Kelton have each visited
a number of constituencies not normally canvassed by
those running for ASUO, including Family Mousing
complexes and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.
Talking to small groups, they explained, is one way of
involving the vast majority of students who don't other
wise involve them selves in campus politics
The two candidates have made i ommuntcaUon a cen
tral point of their platform Williamson and Kelton have
pledged to make themselves available to the public.
From ensuring that the ASUO continues to publish their
newsletter Reflections to promising to hold coffee and
doughnut meetings with students, it is clear that
Williamson and Kelton will Ixi representatives of the stu
dents — not just of ASUO.
Williamson and Kelton pledge to fight raises in tuition
and cuts in financial aid -— both timely issues for whic h
effective student lobbying on the University, state and
federal level could make the difference between contin
uing in college or not.
The candidates are also dedicated to ensuring that the
education that students do pay for is a quality one.
Williamson and Kelton are looking into ways to ana
lyze the current tenure process, to ensure that students
have the opportunity to comment on professor perfor
mance — and for the remarks to mean something
Williamson and Kelton also understand that part of
education is learned from those outside of the classroom
and will work to recruit and retain students of color, as
well as gay. lesbian and bisexual students. Along that
line, they pledge to work closely with student-funded
programs and work with the heads of such organiza
tions. knowing that these groups also contribute to the
growth of students.
Vote for Jennifer Williamson and Zach Kelton for
ASUO Executive April 19-20. Their experience and
plans for the University will give students an effective
team that is ready to stand up for and represent students
at the University.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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OLD
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■ COMMENTARY
Education crucial to water safety
waiter
Spring and vuoimar day*
normally in< it«? notion* of
ding white-water
adventures in the mind* of
many University students A
( old b«M<r. inner-tube or small
raft and an ar< ossible river ore
often all that is needed to prop
erly waste a warm, lazy after
norm However, for thousands of
people annually, these elements
combine to c reate a deadly for
mula.
Eugenes Willamette and
M« Kenzie rivers, not to mention
numerous swift-water tribu
taries. are tome of l ane Coun
ty's most Inviting yet dangerous
w a rm- w a ter play g ro und s.
Though free and unrestricted,
white- water danger zones such
as the rapids under the Autzen
footbridge have claimed the
lives of numerous people rang
ing from while-water experts to
former University basketball
player Jesse Nash
"Most casual users of rivers
and swift streams are unaware
of the extreme danger associated
with their use," said Tim Hirr,
public Minty information dirw -
tor for the < ity
"We normally don't hear from
the white water experts who
take the time to know the rules
and ways of the river," he said
"Our usual victims are the peo
ple who take an inner-tube and a
six-pack and make their way
down to the banks of the
Willamette
“Rivers are very inviting to be
on, but very deadly to be in “
According to facts compiled
by the City of Eugene and Res
cue .1 International, a worldwide
organization dedicated to edu
cating and training white-water
rescuers, nearly 7.000 drown
mgs and 70,000 near-drownings
occur each year in the United
States In the Kugene-Springfield
area, five to 10 drowning* occur
each year, in 1004 alone, the
city’s water-rescue team
responded to 14 emergency
tails. Unfortunately, alcohol
plays a major role in more than
one-third of annua! drowning*
nationwide
OK, we've ail heard that alco
hol and water don't mix (the
exception being a gin and tonic
waterj, ana rivers are «xtr«mel\
dingnroui, yet people continue
to drown or be injured in or on
Itxal waterways each year What
can be done' What will prevent
University students and local
residents from drowning or
being injured in the local area?
The answer is education and
prevention.
When venturing toward a
swift water area, always:
• Tell someone when- you are
going
• Learn about t ubic feet per
second (cfs), how rating systems
are designed and what they
indicate about moving water.
Look daily in the front section of
The Register-Guard for current
cfs levels.
• Have a Coast Guard
approved personal flotation
device (pfd) if you are on or
within to feet of moving water
Remember. 00 percent of river
in < idents occur on or from the
shore.
• Know your area! Foot
entrapment can be caused by
natural obstructions or by debris
in a river. One man drowned
under the Autzen footbridge
when his leg caught on an aban
doned bit yde on the river bot
tom
• Avoid low head dams such
as the one located just east of the
Interstate 5 Willamette overpass.
A man-made hydraulic "keeper’*
hole is created by backwash just
downstream from all low head
dams; the best waterway users
avoid these obstacles These
"keepers" are consistent, hold
nearly everything that enters
them and make r»*M ue extreme
ly difficult.
• Remember that risers are
made of laminer layers, the
fastest of which are near the sur
face This quick water is the
most dangerous on a river and
the easiest to enter
If you are heading tow ard the
river, it is just as important to
remember what never to do
• Never go into the water
alone
• Never enter moving water
without scouting upstream and
downstream for boaters and
obstacles
• Never use alcohol before
going into the water. Alcohol
signtticantly lowers the body s
ability to ward off hypothermia,
and with local rivers fueled by
glac ial runoff, water tempera
tures stay at or about 50 degrees.
Body temperature is quickly
lowered in 50-degree water,
making swimming very difficult
• Nc.*ver swim under river
ohjei ts Fallen trees or debris —
known as strainers — work as
magnets for floating objects If
you can't avoid a strainer, get on
top of it.
• Never tie on to anything. A
common example is a riverboard
secured to an Autzen footbridge
pylon. Ropes work as nooses in
moving water
• Never stand in swift water
deeper than knee-deep.
Finally, if you are in trouble
in moving water, remember that
pushing the "panic button"
insures loss of clear thinking
and increases the c hanc.es of
fatality
The following times arte the
most common and easy to
remember "what to do" sugges
tions if you find yourself in
swift water:
• Stay in the down-river posi
tion (on your back, feet pointed
downstream) to defend yourself
against obstacles while allowing
you to swim with your hands
• Be aware of helical currents.
These currents are subtle, move
diagonally and push objects
toward the center of the river
where the current is strongest
Helicals make reaching the
bank—and rescuing a victim—
very difficult
• When possible, swim at a
45-degree angle against the cur
rent until you reach the shore.
This article c ertainly is not the
"do all; be all" of white water
safety, but with increasing num
bers of local drownings each
year, these tips are some of the
most helpful and easy to remem
ber when promoting water safe
ty If you would like more infor
mation about local white-water
safety, call the Water Rescue
Team at the City of Eugene, or
Resc ue 3 International at (BCM))
45-RESCUE. Remember: expect
the best. prepare for the worst
Seth Walker is a commercial riv
i*r guide, certified swift-water
rescue technician mid student at
the University