NEWSROOM:
(541)546-5511
E-MAIL:
ode@oregon. uoregon.edu
ON-UNE EDITION:
www.uoregon.edu/~ode
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITORIAL EDITOR
Kameron Cole
Emerald Endorsements
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With the election fast
approaching, the editorial
board offers its take on local
ballot measures
Election season poses a par
ticular conundrum. How
does one, particularly a stu
dent, balance the demands
of everyday life with the desire to be
a responsible citizen who partici
pates in the political process?
These endorsements represent an
effort to bring some order to the del
uge of information that grows ever
thicker as Nov. 3 draws closer.
We hope that those of you who
choose to vote will investigate the is
sues for yourself and then make in
formed decisions.
Measure 20-02, Library Operations Levy:
Yes.
Many of us are familiar with the in
adequacies of Eugene’s library facili
ties, either from firsthand experience
or because what we’ve heard second
hand has kept us away. In June, the
City Council approved funding to
build a new downtown library.
Measure 20-02 would provide the
funds to operate this library as well
as two branch libraries. The money
could also be used to pay for extend
ed operating hours, more materials
and enhanced Internet access.
Furthermore, the branch libraries
will allow more better access to li
brary facilities. All of these improve
ments are long overdue, and the boon
they would provide to the city over
whelms the expense involved
Measure 20-03, Parks and open
spaces: No.
The importance of parks in a com
munity is apparent, particularly in a
community such as Eugene. It is not
the intent of this measure that is in
dispute but rather its substance.
Measure 20-03 contains provisions
not only for providing new public
parks, but also for building new ath
letic fields. Other cities faced with
the need to build new fields have
managed to find money from private
sources. There’s no reason Eugene
can’t do the same and save the tax
payers a few bucks.
Measure 20-04, American Flag on Skin
ner Butte: Yes.
Last year’s extensive debate over
the memorial cross atop Skinner
Butte and its subsequent removal
centered mainly on separation of
church and state. Measure 20-04 pro
poses to dedicate Skinner Butte park
as a memorial to U.S. veterans
marked by a large American flag.
While we are loath to agree with
the Voter’s Pamphlet Committee in
Support of Measure 20-04's assertion
that the American flag is an “all-in
clusive” symbol, it seems that the
best argument in favor of this propos
al is the lack of compelling argument
against it.
Ultimately, 20-04 is a gesture and
not one that will substantially impact
Giovanni SaJimena/EmeraJd
the quality of life of the majority of
the citizenry. If veterans and other
proponents of this measure feel that
is does in fact honor those who have
fought and died, that should out
weigh the weak aesthetic and philo
sophical objections against the flag.
Measure 20-99, Establish Citizen Review
Board of Police Actions: Split Opinion.
After much deliberation, the edito
rial board was unable to reach a con
sensus on this measure. One argu
ment holds that establishing a citizen
review board will create an unneces
sary layer of bureaucracy with the ad
ditional detriment of undermining
the police in the eyes of the commu
nity. The opposing viewpoint main
tains that if Eugene truly wants to
create a community policing model,
then citizen participation on this lev
el is imperative.
This editorial represents the opinions of
the Emerald editorial board. Responses
may be sent to ode@oregon.uoregon.edu.
Letters to the Editor
Thank you, OSPIRG
This new opportunity for students
to lower their interest rates on their
loans is great (ODE, Oct. 21). After
finding out more about it, it also
seems to me like proof as to why we
need to re-establish OSPIRG. OSPIRG
is one of the key groups, along with
the ASUO, that won this lower inter
est rate for students. The main reason
OSPIRG was successful was because
they had the resources to have a pro
fessional higher education specialist
up in Washington, D.C., making the
case for a lower interest rate to the me
dia and policy makers.
It’s amazing that OSPIRG pulled it
off even though the loan industry had
dozens of lobbyist working to raise in
terest rates. Sallie Mae, one of the
largest loan companies, spent more
than $1 million in just six months on
lobbying to raise the interest rates on
student loans.
I’m going to save $1,000 because of
OSPIRG’s efforts. I think it’s worth a
couple of bucks a term to have some
one making sure that my interests
concerning the loan industry are told
in Washington. I’ve decided to en
courage my fellow students to do the
same.
Devon Streed
Political Science
Impartial standard needed
Although I am hardly a proponent
of the SATs as currently structured, I
still disagree profoundly with your
editorial on college admission (ODE,
Oct. 20). There are, I feel, two flaws in
your argument.
One concerns the SATs themselves.
While standardized exams, as cur
rently designed, are racist, classist and
only vaguely useful, the principle of a
standardized test is still valuable.
Without some standardized measure
that puts all high schoolers on an
equal field, we unfairly reward stu
dents for attending programs where
grades were universally higher, fellow
students performed abnormally poor
ly or certain programs were uniquely
available.
The second flaw is the notion that a
broad examination of student activi
ties represents the most useful mea
sure of an applicant’s potential as a
student. While it is true that students
should be involved in many activities,
most schools take this into account
(both as a reason a student might have
lower grades and an admirable trait if
student grades are in fact high). Fur
ther weighting extracurricular activi
ties would be dishonest. College is
about the ability to take a “grueling
test,” perform well in the classroom,
and most of all, grasp a range of acade
mic materials.
Outside activities are admirable
and necessary for the maintenance of
sanity, and universities should en
courage them in applicants and stu
dents alike. However, admissions
boards should never lose track of the
fact that the application process is de
signed to find those who will best par
ticipate in the most fundamental mis
sion of an institution: the acquisition
of knowledge through the classroom.
Mike Schmierbach
Madison, Wis.
Thumbs
TOTHEU.S.
SENATE:
For rejecting a
bill that would
require univer
sities to issue
debit cards to
students. The
biliwas sup
ported by busi
nesses who
wanted to
make it more
more tempting
for students to
spend money
off campus.
TO HONESTY:
A 5-year-old
New York boy
turned his fa
ther into police
after he at
tempted to
break into a
car. And they
say kids don’t
have any
morals these
days.
TO OVER
REACTING:
An Oklahoma
City judge sen
tenced a man to
two days in jail
tor playing with
a yo-yo in court.
Good thing he
didn't try to
wafkthedog,or
he might be in
solitary.
TO PARANOIA:
A 15-year-old
girl from Batti
more was sus
pended from
school after be
ing accused of
casting a spell
on another stu
dent, Gee, we
hope witchcraft
doesn’t look too
bad on your
permanent
record.