University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
An independent newspaper
Volume 99, Issue 10
THURSDAY, JULY 24,1997
INDEX
News
Briefs
Sports 5
Classifieds . 6
Crossword 7
Horoscope 7
ro
TODAY
Mad Duck Repertory The
atre opens “Baby with the
Bathwater” tonight at 8 at
the Arena Theater. Call
346-4192 for information.
INSIDE
EMU Waterworks Canoe Company offers a
leisurely ride and a fun summer activity
K1DSP0RTS gives all kids a chance to play base
ball, including Matt Perpinan, who has spina bi/i
WEATHER
Mostly Sunny.
High 80. Low 55
A SECRET GARDEN
Urban Farm provides opportunity for growth
■ GARDEN: The Urban Farm is
one of many places on Saturday’s
“Earth-Friendly Gardens Tour”
By Carl Yeh
Associate Editor
On the bike path that leads to Autzen
Stadium from the University campus,
many students may have walked by a
garden — in the middle of the city.
This garden is known as the Urban
Farm. Founded in 1975 by Richard
Britz, a professor of landscape architec
ture, the garden used to be an unused
plot of land. Now that land produces a
v ariety of fruits and vegetables.
££1 think it’s good
if you can teach
people and have
them experience
a whole cycle -
plant a seed, tend
it and take care
of it, eat it, and
then compost it to
build soil so that
you can plant a
seed again.
Ann Bettman
Urban Farm Director
“Britz thought
it was a really
good idea for the
architecture de
partment to have
a place where
they can actually
grow things,”
said Ann
Bettman, also a
professor of
landscape archi
tecture and the
current director
of the Urban
Farm, which is
managed in part
by students en
rolled in a spe
cial course.
“He saw this
as a model for
how to transform
- cities into having
productive places that build communi
ty and to help neighborhoods or city
blocks or individual people be more self
sufficient,” she said.
Bettman, who has been director of the
farm since 1983, teaches the course
every term. Some of her goals for her stu
dents include “teaching people to grow
food, work together, and to value physi
cal labor."
Students spend about nine hours a
week tending the garden.
“One of the nice things about growing
food is that they’re generally short cy
Turn to GARDEN, Page 3
CHAD PATTESON/Emerald
The many varieties of plants in the Urban Farm at the Millrace get some afternoon water
ing from Environmental Science Junior Scott Galen.
OPEU negotiates for higher ed salary increases
■ SALARIES: If OPEU and OSSHE
do not reach an agreement soon,
OPEU will call for a strike vote Sept. 9
By Carl Yeh
Associate Editor
The Oregon Public Employees Union is
currently negotiating for a salary increase
with the Oregon State System of Higher Ed
ucation.
“We want parity with the rest of the
state," said Sue Battin, president of the lo
cal chapter of the OPEU, which includes all
of the classified workers at the University.
“(The rest of the state workers) get a 6 per
cent increase in their salary for the next two
years.”
The difference in wages between higher
education workers and other state workers
occurred partly due to Senate Measure 271
in 1995 which allowed OSSHE to enter into
separate negotiations with the OPEU.
Negotiations have been taking place since
Dec. 13, 1996, said Bob Bruce, spokesper
son for OSSHE.
“In mid-May, after 150 days of bargain
ing, which is required by law, OPEU de
clared 'impasse’ and called for mediation.
Since June 9, the mediation has been pro
vided by the Oregon Employment Relations
Board,” Bruce said.
“There have been three meetings with the
mediator, and another session is scheduled
for Aug. 4,” Bruce said. Each group meets
separately with the mediator, and the
groups are continuing to exchange propos
als.
In the recent Oregon legislative session,
higher education faculty received a 2 per
cent raise in their salaries.
"OSSHE is not doing a very good job,”
Battin said. “Faculty and state workers are
Turn to SALARIES, Page 3
Oregon
Hall gets
a facelift
■ CONSTRUCTION: The building had
not undergone any major changes
since it was first occupied in 1973
By Michael Hines
Oregon Daily Emerald
The second floor of Oregon Hall is receiv
ing a facelift this summer.
Admissions and the Office of the Regis
trar are the two departments that will be af
fected. The changes are coming at a good
time, officials said.
several employ
ees in the offices re
tired, freeing up
money and space,
said Jim Buch, asso
ciate vice president
for student academ
ic affairs.
The decision to
follow through on
the $25,000 con
struction project
was made by Buch,
along with registrar
Herb Chereck and
director of admis
sions Martha Pitts.
The money funding
THE PROJECT
■ CONSTRUC
TION COSTS:
$25,000
■ NEW FURNI
TURE COSTS: 25
year-old furniture is
being replaced at a
cost somewhere
between $31,000
and $37,000
■ AIM: To elimi- \
nate confusion and j
lines on the second \
floor
tne project will come trom the departments
salary savings after several retirements.
After the retirements, the departments
found themselves in a transition situation
and asked a simple question.
“What can we do more efficiently given
the resources we have?” Buch said.
Admissions and the registrar had several
overlapping duties, he said. The construc
tion will eliminate the confusion and make
the offices more efficient.
Oregon Hall was first occupied in 1973,
and the second floor has not had any major
Turn to CONSTRUCTION, Page 4
Police arrested at least nine protesters in
Alton Baker Park Monday morning.
They were protesting the cutting of trees
to make space for a bike and pedestrian
bridge nextto the Ferry Street Bridge. Two
protesters were peacefully removed from
trees by police in a hydraulic lift.
Two additional protesters were still in
trees on the south bank of the Willamette
River later in the day, but eventually came
down from the trees. Police were posi
tioned on the north side of the river to
guard the fenced area from trespassers.
The police presence is indefinite.
“We certainly don’t intend to have police
stationed out there for the next three
years,” Phil Weiler of the City Manager’s of
fice said.