VIEWPOINTS
EOiTOftlAlS OPINIONS UtURS TO tHf fDlTOR
Term limits might remove
weak-minded politicians
■ OUR OPINION; Strom
Thurmond should not be a
candidate or a senator
White President Clinton
and other presidential can
didates am busy initiating
campaign strategies for this
coming November, some
incompetent politicians are
completely unaware that the
election should merit any
concern,
Surprisingly enough, one
of these politicians already
has been elected to the Sen
ate and has been there since
the mt>* He is 03-year-old
Strom Thurmond.
According to his staff
members, the senator, who
hearts the Armor! Services
Committee, still recounts
the most minute details of
his fvH yean in politics.
According to these mem
bers, he is always on ton of
his duties and never fails to
read from a prepared test.
What hU staff members fait
to mention U that during
these meetings when discus
sion vans from his prepared
text, Thurmond will become
disoriented and start marl
ing the stage directions
scribbled in the margins
Hut this is not the only
action that has made the
senator's incompetence
undeniably obvious. In
April. Thurmond shoved a
USAir flight attendant when
the attendant refused to
allow him to store his coat
in the first-class coat closet
(he was flying coach)
At a recant rotary meet
ing, the senator rose to
introduce fellow senator
Phil Gramm and drew a
blank.
After being pushed by a
vagrant in a subway station
last year, Thurmond walked
on. completely oblivious
that the senator he was trav
eling with was wrestling the
man to the ground.
Illi* Thurmond situation
is absurd not only because a
confused 93-year-old sena
tor It considered cnmp«ient
enough to run for re-ewc*
lion, but because a senator
who holds the senate record
for the longest filibuster —
24 hours and 18 minutes
against a 1957 civil rights
bill — still represents the
image of the New South
It is difficult to under
stand why South Carolina
voters would choose Thur
mond over his millionaire
Damot relic opponent just
because he is the GOP can
didate
As Washington (tampers
and protects this senator,
ensuring that he has a per
sonal driver for the remain
der of his days in politics.
Senate Majority Isutder Bob
Dole proves to lie one of
Thurmond's biggest protec
tors Washington is
becoming this man's person
al nursing home because
many voters are afraid that
if Thurmond is not re-elect
ed, he'll die,
Although this is a democ
racy. and anyone older than
30 can run for Senate, noliti
c tan* who were elected
when Karbari Hoover was
President should not still lie
on the campaign trail. Situa
tions such as these should
make it evident that term
limits are desperately need
ed in areas of government
other than the presidency.
If we wish to make any
political progress and
implement long overdue
reform*, we cannot allow
our country to be led by
conservative leaders of past
generations, especially not
by those who know less
about their own political
standing than their staff
assistants and aides.
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GUVS TWIN* \W0 B£
A GOOOUS SEHMOB,
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Hall passes needed for sex with profs?
If you'na deeping with one of your profna
tan. there'* * meeting today you might want
to attend !f w rit a Univerdty faculty
member and you're deeping with a atudent.
you definitely ahould make thin meeting
The Uni vanity Senate will consider a new
milky at 3 » m in Room 110 Fenton that regu
late* Mutual relationthip* between fat uity and
uudent* Tha proposal dm lares that w*
between student* and faculty "Involve* unethi
cal conflict* of interml and abuam of power "
Tb# mw policy Mata* that
#1) m» batwwm faculty ami
•ludtml* will N* vi«mrwd u
non-ctwikentital 'Stub i»b
ttoiuhipt greatly imrnw ih*»
liumcM that (ha (acuity ttumi
bar will aimvc or appmu to
abuae, hi* or Hor tumor by mi
uaity oxpioittng th«* otbor parly
to th« reUUnnJup Th«i power
tiiffarwnUai in the pmlwwkmal
relationship makes a student • or subordinate
employee's consent to the miu«I relationship
inherently »u»p« t
That make* perfect Man* — at a middle
echoed.
But withut the University contest It t»umn
that all students am no young and naive that
they're not able to concent to sex. It tmpii«Mi that
(acuity are act powerful that they t an coerce stu
dent * into ***. It tel la faculty members that they
am ao la;bemui and *o driven by m that
th«y‘m unable to function professionally
Hut it * not fair to the uiher student* wud
law school professor (Caroline Fomll, who
helped draft the policy. "If one student is having
**x with the professor, it affects how the other
student* feel in da*a. it changes thing* for that
class It makes people feel uncomfortable "
Well. I agree the University needs to protect
me from feeling uncomfortable
Martin Fisher, president of the student senate,
points out that if the University was really con
cerned about protecting students from the abuse
of power, it would be considering a companion
revision lo the student conduct code, one that
would sanction students for engaging in sea
with professors
'That's nothing that the University plans to
mgutsta at this point." Fomll said She added,
though, that the policy addresses conflict of
interest "The students am being grided com
pared to each other." she said. "They believe
that they will not be graded objectively because
of this other person "
Fisher said he's me lined to believe that peo
ple am capable of making their own choices
and that students who make dumb chokes have
to live with them "Should a student receive
unfair treatment, though, it's likely that they
won't sue the professor — they'll sue the Uni
versity." Fisher said "I think this is entirely a
move lo protect the University in the event of a
fifi.
This policy is insulting not only to non
lechenmt faculty, hut also to women students
in general.
---- 99
lawsuit"
However. Foreli dentes thin "The University
hn* resisted this policy till now because the (at
ulty may sue for defamation, saying. 'You know
what? I have the money to take the University
on and get the press attention, and it will make
me look like a martyr.' Professors are much
more dangerous to the University than students
in terms of lawsuits”
The rationale is to "provide clear direction
about the professional risks and serious harms
which are associated with sexual relationships
in which a power differential exists between the
parlies involved The University is committed to
fostering the development of learning and work
Ing environments characterized by professional
and ethical behavior.”
As if faculty weren't aware of the professional
risks The conflict with that is that the policy
gives lip service to the University's commitment
to professional and ethical behavior while
acknowledging that the faculty are unprofes
sional and unethical You can't have this thing
both ways.
1 think there's a danger of abuse here — a
third party can complain that a student and a
professor are intimate and that grades are affect
ed What if a student goes forward with a com
plaint that his ex-girlfriend is now sleeping with
her history professor? Whether it‘s true or not.
several people would then have a monumental
mess to deal with.
This policy is insulting not only to non -lech
arous faculty, but also to women students in
general We re not talking about a bunch of flfth
grade girls here; we're talking about adult
women The University is telling us we can t
consent to sex with a professor ? Sense me. but I
think I can decide that.
If I was sleeping with a Hunks Hunks Burriin'
Faculty, and if I felt that an abuse of power was
occurring. I'd know where to go to complain
People who felt "uncomfortable" about it would
know where to go to complain, too.
There are laws against sexual harassment, and
the University has adequate policy to deel with
lechers. If this ia not so — if the ranks are
crowded with lechers and lovers of Lolitas, then
the University needs to take a cold hard look at
Its hiring and tenure policies.
If the University really needs to protect naive
students from predatur professors. I'm enrolled
el the wrong place.
kelly Amienson. a senior maturing in journalism.
i* a columnist for the Emerald E-mail
hoontdhoregon.uongon.edu