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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1998)
004605 The UO Jazz Studies program ik " EMU Cultural Forum present Wi the azz CAFE UO Jazz Combos in a cabaret setting, performing a variety of jazz standards and original student works. Light refreshments and beverages available. With special guest artist, Phif Markoun'tz jazz pianist Tuesday, October 13 at 8:00pm • Gerlinger Alumni Lounge Tickets: $5 General Admission, $3 Students & Seniors; available at the door. Co-sponsored by the EMU Cultural Forum 004590 Classes begin October 31st. Access Access Class begins October 12th. Full-time day course focuses on Grammar. Reading. Listening. Writing and TOEFL preparation. Eugene class begins October 24th Corvallis class begins October 17th. Self-study review course begins daily. Class begins October 12th. Part-time evening course focuses on TOEFL preparation. Classes begin January 16th Classes are Starting Now! Call today to reserve your seat. Ask about group, school and organization discounts. Visit or call our Eugene Office at 720 E. 13th St. #303 Near UP Campus • 345-4420 60 YEARS OF BUILDING FUTURES. ONE SUCCESS STORY AT A TIME. •Course names are registered trademarks of their respective owners. uutl\ lb • FACULTY • STAFF Flu Vaccination Influenza vaccinations will be given at the University Center for faculty and staff every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and for stud ents Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 14 Students $3.50 Faculty and Staff provided by PEBB Annual flu immunizations are recommended for the following: Healthy persons 65 years or older. 2. Persons with long-term heart or lung problems. 3. Persons with any of the following: kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, anemia, severe asthma and conditions which compromise immune mechanism. Influenza vaccine may be given to persons wishing to reduce their chances of catching the flu, persons who provide essential community services and students or others in schools or colleges. For more information, call the § University Health Center at 346-4441 Voter registration deadline nears Several ballot issues are relevant to students, from a tuition freeze to control of incidental fees By Kristina Rudinskas Oregon Daily Emerald Today is the last day for stu dents to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election, and the ASUO says they need a powerful base of student voters to fight for higher education in the upcoming leg islative session. “We need to keep people in of fice who are friendly to education and student needs,” said Jamie Pueschel, United States Student Association legislative director. So far the ASUO has registered more than 2,000 students and hopes that today late-comers will flood the office before the 4:30 p.m. deadline. Drop boxes are lo cated at the University Bookstore, Carson Hall, Hamilton Complex and in front of the ASUO office, EMU suite 4. “Every time you move or change your address, you have to re-register,” said Matt Swanson, ASUO state affairs coordinator. These are some of the top stu dent issues pending in the up coming U.S. and state legislative session. Tuition freeze Tuition at the state's public universities has risen 80 percent since 1990. In 1995-96 the Oregon Student Association lobbied state Congress to freeze the resident undergraduate instructional fee. OSA Executive Director Ed Den nis said he wants to see that freeze extend to more tuition. Dennis cautions students to re member the fiscal impact of other ballot measures when voting. Money may be taken away from higher education, health and hu man services if expensive ballot measures pass requiring the state to implement funding for parks or new prisons. “Kiss the tuition freeze goodbye if that sucker (prison measure) passes,” Dennis said. Incidental fee Student control over the inci dental fee is still an issue that has repeatedly come under attack in the Legislature. The fee came under attack 22 times in the last session. Some legislators want to keep education costs down by requiring students to pay only for services they use. “It’s a proactive defense to pre serve our right to organize and be associated students,” said Matt Swanson, ASUO state affairs co ordinator. Measure 59, which amends the state Constitution, would prohibit the use of public resources to col lect money for political purposes. This measure could be used to af fect the distribution of student fees. Dennis said a private lawyer hired by OSA confirmed it could challenge the student control of the incidental fee. Funding could be denied un der this measure for ASUO stu dent groups that are activists or involved in social or environmen tal campaigns. “All the work in the EMU could essentially die,” Swanson said. “It could really kill student activities not even just activism.” Student child care The Student Child Care Block Grant serves 250 Oregon families, but over 900 are on the waiting list. The grant is the only state wide student parent assistance program. It is funded through the federal Child Care Development Block Grant, but not since 1989 has the state allocated money to student parents. “Child care tends to slip through the cracks,” Swanson said. “We want to make sure the option to go to school is available for student parents.” On the federal level, the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Actwould recommend the Higher Education Act authorize $60 million for competitive grants to establish or support campus child care. Oregon Need Grant The grant established in 1971 provides funding for the neediest Oregon students and covers tu ition, books and extra educational costs. The grant used to provide about half of the cost of education, but because of tuition increases today it covers about 11 percent of the cost. C.J. Gabbe, ASUO federal af fairs coordinator, said students are pushing for an increase in the grant so that it would cover 25 percent of the cost of education. “The next step is to advocate for an increase,” Gabbe said. “Not 50 percent, that’s unrealistic. The 25 percent proposal is still a real stretch in a budget starved state.” Pell Grants Congress did approve an in crease in Pell Grant maximum from $3,000 in 1998-99 to $4,500 for 2000-01 in the reauthorization of Higher Education Act. The act also raised the amount of money independent students can earn and still qualify for some part of the grant. The minimum payment on a Pell grant is main tained at $400. Pell grants were created to alle viate discrepancies in education al opportunity based on family income. Twenty years ago the maximum grant covered 80 per cent of public and 40 percent of private school costs. Today the maximum grant covers 40 per cent of public and less than 20 percent of private school costs. Over 3.61 million students re ceive Pell grants; 20 percent of. or 35,600 students, Oregon stu dents are awarded some form of Pell grants. The average award of $1,505, doesn’t cover the average recipient’s cost of $9,726 per year. Faculty compensation Faculty and staff compensa tion in Oregon increased 2.6 per cent from 1996 tol997 Currently, Oregon faculty pay ranks 39th out of the nation. Swanson and Gabbe said stu dents and faculty together fight for access to a quality education and a pay raise for faculty across the Oregon University System. “The burden of who’s paying for higher education has shifted from the state to the individual,” Swanson said. “The cost is up and the quality has suffered.” Backing up reauthorization Even though the U.S. Congress has passed the reauthorization of Higher Education Act, the com mitments made in the act may not receive funding without stu dent pressure. Reauthorization is the pledge to carry out the vari ous increases in Pell grants, fi nancial aid and other student concerns. “We could be told we get an A for effort, but sorry we’re out of money,” Dennis said. A voice The department of education receives 2 percent of the total federal budget. In the last 22 years, federal fi nancial aid has shifted from grants to loans. “It’s all encompassed in a com mitment to reinvestment,” Swan son said. “Higher education has seen so many cuts in the last 10 years.” A strong student voting bloc could tell the legislature students are serious about their commit ment to investing in higher edu cation, Gabbe said. “Students don’t have money to lobby,” ASUO President Geneva Wortman said. “All our power in Salem lies in our numbers. I don’t feel as though students are apathetic — just need to make a connection with what’s real to them.” The Oregon Humanities Center presents: John J. Stuhr Professor and Head, Department of Philosophy Pennsylvania State University in a video, audio and internet presentation entitled: Ubiquitous Machines: Toward a Minor Deleuze Tuesday, October 13, 1998 4:00 p.m. Studio A, Media Services (formerly Instructional Media Center) Lecture is free and open to the public. Reception will follow at the Faculty Club For information or disability accommodations, call the Center at 346-3934. more
