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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sarah KickJer
EDITORIAL EDITOR
Mike Schmierbach
NIGHT EDITOR
Laura Cadiz
CHRIS HUTCHINSON/Emerald
Longer stay won t improve education
Forcing students to stop doubling up’
on credits is a poor nay to teach more
The University has an official mission state
ment; it's something about broadening
minds and advancing education and all
that fun stuff. Recently, it seems like the
University also has an unofficial, but far more in
fluential, mission statement as well: Make more
money.
The latest revenue-increasing scheme is a pro
posal currently being evaluated by the University
Senate. Lf passed, the plan would prevent students
from using classes that filled requirements for the
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees to
also fill the “group" requirements.
This could mean students will have to take an
additional three or four classes to fill in the gaps
left when they can no longer “double up” on cred
its. An additional three or four classes add up to an
extra term at an institution where many students
struggle to graduate in five years. An extra term
adds up to thousands of dollars.
The stated purpose of the proposal is to increase
the breadth of a University education. Frankly, we
r
AN EMERALD EDITORIAL
don’t know how much broader our education
needs to be.
Most majors already require a wide range of
classes, including more than enough courses to fill
the group requirements and provide for a variety of
educational experiences.
In addition, the ruling will probably affect a min
imal number of students. Most math and science
majors are working toward a B.S., which means
they will take enough courses in the science group
to fill both degree and group requirements. Simi
larly, most humanities majors will take a range of
arts and letters classes in addition to the tw o years
of language required for the B. A. a majority will re
ceive.
Obviously, the University' has found a few stu
dents for whom these generalizations do not apply’.
Most likely, these are students in intense, pre-pro
fessional programs, where the bulk of their require
ments are in the department. Demanding an addi
tional term’s worth of class from these students,
who have intentionally focused their studies, is
ridiculous.
If an individual department is worried its stu
dents aren’t getting a solid education, it should
change the requirements it has for majors. Students
select programs, not general University require
ments.
And if the University is worried about the quali
ty of education students are receiving, simply in
creasing the number of requirements is not going to
solve the problem. Spending more money and so
liciting more donations for faculty pay — not
buildings — would help make classes more valu
able. Actively combating grade inflation would
force students to earn the grades they receive and
to think harder when studying.
True reformation of the education experience
will not come because the University Senate makes
us sit through one more 300-person lecture class in
the social sciences. It will come when 300-person
lecture courses that require little more than con
sciousness end, and a well paid, qualified faculty
member stands in front of classrooms that put a
greater emphasis on academic effort.
This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald ed
itorial board. Responses may be sent to
odeQoregon. uoregon .edu
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To Measure 52
Oregon's schools
desperately reed
more money. Mea
sure 52 provides up
to $150 million for
schools. This isn't a
difficult equation.
Ballot Measure 52 is
hardly die ideal solu
tion to the state’s
funding problems: as
a bond measure, the
money will have to be
repaid, in this case
through lottery dol
lars. The lottery is
hardly the best
choice for funding
our schools, but the
incredibly short
sighted and ignorant
voters in ttas state
have left us little
choice. In order to
prepare students for
the future and pro
vide an adequate ed
ucational experience,
the school system
needs every doBar it
can get We urge a
“yes" vote on Mea
sure 52 to provide a
few extra dollars.
To Hyundai
Every day, we hate
this company a little
more. The latest infu
riating effort by this
massive multi-na
tional corporation is
to dodge local wet
lands restrictions that
would block phase
three construction of
the Hyundai plant.
The local rules allow
a company to ask the
federal government
to evaluate and over
rule a wettands
based ban on con
struction. This is not
the first time the
company has decid
ed it would rather go
over the heads of lo
cal government offi
cials and the commu
nity members they
represent than work
with the people.
Hyundai is supposed
to be providing bene
fits to the community
by bringing jobs and
dollars. Instead, it
pays almost no taxes
(thus draining, not
aiding, the local
economy) and threat
ens the environment.
Hyundai admits that
phase three would
destroy a wetland; it
just wants the feds to
let it wreak havoc. If
Hyundai loves Eu
gene so much and
doesn't want to leave
(as representatives
have claimed), it
should show an inter
est in the desires of
the community and
help strengthen the
area rather than pil
laging it.