VIEWPOINTS
(OlTORlAlS OPINIONS l ft Tt RS ?Q THf IOUOR
Vote Scotten/Banf ield
for ASUO Executive
■ OUR OPINION: Only with
the backing of Ids of
students can the ASUO
effect change
Running for ASUO Execu
tive always present* an
interesting challenge to
would-be student governors:
How do you create a bal
ance between ambitious
goals and objectives that am
actually attainable? What
can you pledge to *u:om>
pitsh in office, when most
of the major question* fac
ing students will be decided
not in the ASUO't EMU
suite. but over in )ohnson
flail, or in Salem, or In
Washington. D.C? How do
you set yourself apart from
other candidates without
resorting to silly promises
that can't be kept?
To their credit, most of
the candidates for ASUO
Executive this year are run
ning on platforms of reason
able. if predictable, goals,
keeping tuition and other
educational costs down,
expanding student services
such as library and lab
hours, promoting diversity
on campus, and. of course,
the ever present pledge to
"reinvent" the ASUO.
When it cornea down to It.
there isn't a lot to different!
ale the candidates this year.
But there is one ticket —
Matthew Scotten and Glen
Banfletd — that has placed
its focus on the one issue
that matters most to stu
dents: keeping college
affordable
Sure, all the candidates
are in favor of that. But
what makes Scotten and
Banfieid different is their
understanding of how it can
lie done. It's not going to
happen by merely getting a
hunch of ASUO insiders up
to the Capitol for hobnob
bing, or "demanding" the
government lo do what we
want And it won't happen
by just “fully supporting"
student lobby groups, effec
tive as they sometimes nre
As Scollttn and Banfield
said in their interview with
the Emerald editorial board
Monday night, even tha 30
“host and bright oaf in stu
dent government won't keep
tuition down alone They
need to mobilise the stu
dents at large because one
articulate voice is nothing
compared to a thousand
loud ones.
And they have ideas to
get more students involved,
all of which center on the
principle of "taking it to the
streets “ Rather than sitling
in an office waiting for stu
dent input, or hoping stu
dents will come to them to
ask how to help. Scotten
and Banfield would work
through ASUO programs lo
enlist the help of active stu
dents who may have noth
ing to do with student
government per se. And
they would also expand
internships with both the
ASUO and its various
groups to promote more stu
dent involvement
We do offer one word of
caution to the candidates;
Don’t go too far in expecling
to create harmony on cam
pus. Voices of discord are
not only inevitable at a
major university, they are
essential. The free exchange
of ideas is the cornerstone
of learning We hope that
whoever is elected to the
ASUO Executive learns
from the current administra
tion's mistakes (and suc
cesses) and remembers their
obligation to support the
right of students to voice
even the most unpopular of
ideas without interference.
After all. as students, our
voices are sometimes all we
have.
ALU THOSE
/N FAVOR op
BR'NGJMC? BACK
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“TpuSE Of RtPRCStNTMIVE?
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Over here »n America its the NW Sheep Disease
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Right agenda exists
t would 111,* to thank David Bartlett (or Initial
mg debate on a timely t**u* the utlm of right vs.
Ion politics in America ((XMf. April 2). Unfortu
nately. I think Bartlett's "poohpoohing* isn't
going to < u* anywhere
The fort it that there la a groat economic imbal
ance in thi* country, and the new conservative
ecotuitnii agenda stmt to keep the wealth at the
lop People who don't believe this simply laugh
away the statistics. call the so-called "liberal
media* biased, and say "it's worse In China, ya
know.* thereby perpetuating political apathy
Other Injustice* slid imbalance* of power exist
alongside I he economic, and ye*, while males do
generally average better Why? Because they’re
•Imply superior?
In the past 200 years, conservative* have
opposed liberals on many issues Should blacks
be owned by while* a* slave*' Should "Ameri
can*” take land from lb* Indians? Should women
be allowed to vote? Etc., etc.
Conservatives today would tike to return us to
a post where big busines* knew no bounds and
power reigned unchecked One need not eapouae
a "conservative conspiracy* theory or want to
"institutionalise toramuniun* to support liberal
political causes against current right wing agen
das
Bradley Butterfield
Graduate. Comparative Literature
Students’ bookstore
Elisabeth Kearney wrote a letter to the editor
(ODE. April 3) that *ugge*t» the University Book
store is ripping off student* both on (he *ale of
textbook* and the buying back of textbooks 1
thought it appropriate that her claims be given
clarification
Kirs! of all. the bookstore is a non-profit orga
nisation owned by the students, faculty and clas
sified staff of the University. The bookstore it
governed by an elected 11 member board of
diredur*. eight of whom are student*. Everything
about the way the bookstore is structured ami
governed would *ugge«l it is here to work in the
best interest* of the University community.
The bookstore is not responsible for the high
cost of textbook* The bookstore does not arbi
trarily decide what books we will buy back and
how much we will pay at the end of each term
The bookstore doe* discount textbooks and is one
of a few college bookstores in the entire country
that does to. The bookstore is aggressive in trying
to cany as many used books as possible It Is the
faculty who chouse the books that are going to be
used on this campus, and the bookstore is oggrv*
sive in seeking timely orders from the faculty so
that the end of the term buy-back prices can be
the highest possible The bookstore has estab
lished • Guaranteed Book Program and an Early
Duck book reservation program. The bookstore is
an advocate for the students of this University.
If you would like to help run the bookstore,
please attend the annual meeting on Wednesday.
April 1*. at 3:30 p.m in the EMU’s Fir Room A
number of board positions are open, and it is a
great way to make a difference on campus
(Contrary to Kearney's suggestion of a Web site
bookstore, the University community is well
served by the University bookstore.
We |ust can’t make textbook prices as low as
some people would like.
Jim Williams
Untverwty Bookstore General Manager
Thanks QSPIRG
Recently. I was preparing a resume for a part
tune job here in Eugene and realized that many of
the skills that qualified me for the job came
directly from my experience working the last
three years with QSPIRG here on campus.
Over this time. 1 teamed a valuable set of skills
that I have not received from other parts of my
education Through QSPIRG, I have learned pub
In speaking to planning and running a meeting,
building coalitions of support with different
groups, organization* and people, to working
with various media and administrative bodies
At times, just getting someone to hire you < an
fie very muc h like getting someone to sign a pett
tioa.
I appreciate QSPIRG being here on campus as a
resource for students, and I am anxious to be a
part of its work in the future.
Ryan Moackly
Fine and Append Arts
Write school stuff
The Emerald needs to write more about campus
and community issues rather than printing all the
APwire stories that anyone can find in the/leg
inter Cuard or Oregonian.
I do want to commend the reporter* who have
taken the time to cover local events; however, it
would be great to see the Emerald encourage end
empower students to write and submit freelance
articles, editorial* and column* on the critical
problems we are hieing here at the University
The regional and statewide paper* can fill their
pages with AP wire, but the Emerald, with the
thousands of dollars it receives, could do the stu
dents and the campus community more justice by
reporting more about what is happening In our
own backyard.
The Emerald has the human resources, so let’s
see some more proactive, in-depth reporting — go
talk with the student groups and community orge
nizattons, and write more than two paragraph*
about important cornerstones of student life
Joey Lyon*
international Studies Poetical Science