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Perspectives
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITORIAL EDITORS
Kameron Cole
Stefanie Knowllon
Get involved in your education:
Students need to rely on their
numbers if they want to change
legislation that affects them
1th the lurid
details of the
Starr report
and the subse
quent impeachment, voters
are feeling more removed
from the government than
ever before. Alienation is ap
parent when we consider
that only 37 percent of voters
actually turned out for last
year’s non-presidential elec
tion.
On the other hand, we
jump at the chance to claim
freedom of speech whenever
we feel that our First Amend
ment rights have been violat
ed, yet when it comes to the
very democratic process that
the freedom of speech was
designed to protect, we miss
the mark completely.
But it is not just about vot
ing, it’s about getting in
volved to make changes in
the government and the Leg
islature. We have heard al
most every student whine
and complain about an in
crease in fees or tuition, yet
what are students doing
about it?
This is not a guilt trip. It is
an opportunity to become ac
tive in legislation that affects
us as students. We need to
get involved. The ASUO is
sponsoring a Campaign Kick
off today in 207 Chapman
Hall at 5 p.m. to discuss a
plan of action in the upcom
ing Legislature.
This
gives stu
dents an op
portumty to come together
and represent their needs.
Do we want a tuition
freeze? Then do something
about it. The Legislature will
review the Oregon Universi
ty System biennial budget
model in the next six
months.
While spending on higher
education has gone down in
recent years, tuition has gone
up.
It is time for students to
fight back and claim budget
dollars for themselves. If we
do not stand up for our
selves, who will?
We don't have money to
pay for campaigns, television
ads or professional lobbyists
to secure our cause. Our
power lies in our numbers
and our ability to come to
gether as a cohesive student
body.
Another issue fac
ing students and
especially student
parents is the Ore
gon Student
Child Care Block Grant. This
federally funded program en
sures that student parents
can go to school without
worrying about how they
will pay their child care bills.
Yet only 250 families are on
the program now and 940 are
on the waiting list. Those are
\f
o
r
E
H
e
R
E
i
940 families that may never
know the benefits of an edu
cation if the state doesn’t do
something about it.
To change legislation, stu
dents need to stick together
and represent each other to
the government.
These are our rights. It may
not be as glamorous as the
First Amendment or as allur
ing as some of the other per
sonal freedoms that we cling
to, but we have a right to be
part of the democratic
process, and if we don’t exer
cise that right, all the others
are pointless.
“Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, commit
ted citizens can change the
world; indeed, it’s the only
thing that ever has.” —Mar
garet Mead (taken from the
ASUO Kickoff Poster)
This editorial represents the
opinion of the Emerald editori
al board. Responses may be
sent to ode@orvgon.uoregpn.edu
Letters to the Editor
Environmental Racism
This weekend the students and commu
nity members of the University have a rare
opportunity to participate in a conference
unlike any other in the country. The Coali
tion Against Environmental Racism
(CAER), an ASUO student program, is host
ing the 5th annual Environmental Justice
Conference. This conference is funded with
student incidental fees and will bring to
campus an incredible group of nationally
recognized environmental justice activists.
Topics include urban environmental jus
tice, cross border issues, international in
digenous sovereignty, community organiz
ing, Environmental Protection Agency,
racism and the environmental movement,
white privilege, Title IV, Native Americans
and women and environmental justice and
networking and coalition building.
The Environmental Justice Conference is
free to the public and begins Friday at 7 p.m.
at the University Law School. For more in
formation please contact Suite 1, EMU at
346-4073. Take advantage of this great edu
cational opportunity.
Ronnie Seawood
Undeclared
Construction War
We, the residents of Young Hall, would
like to tell the world another side of the con
struction that is going on at Esslinger. Imag
ine. Put yourselves in our beds. We are
dreaming peacefully and then around 7 a.m.
every morning, weekdays and weekends,
boom. Bulldozers, saws, trucks, hammering,
shouting. You roll over in your bed but
there is no escape. Pillows over ears, noth
ing helps. We are a peaceful people. We
generally get along and are friendly but a
huge chasm exists in all of our friendships.
For over here it is the light sleepers
against the heavy sleeper. Write an expose,
get the inside scoop on our loud mornings.
This is not a threat, but we can’t take it any
more. If you don’t heed us, you may find
students in pajamas handcuffing them
selves to the welding, martyrs for the cause.
The University prides itself on being a col
lege of reason, a place where students’ con
cerns are taken seriously.
We, at Young Hall, are mostly transfer
students — the majority of us are upper
classmen who will not be living here next
year to reap the rewards of our sleepless
mornings. We implore the University to do
something. If nothing is done by next week,
we will resort to guerrilla warfare tactics.
They will find toothbrushes in their ma
chinery gears. Students donning shower
caps and bathrobes to conceal their identity
will storm the perimeters of Esslinger’s con
struction zone. Your hardhats will not pro
tect you. Beware. We can strike at any time,
we are always awake.
Kyra Wolfe
National Student Exchange
CORRECTION
The Jan. 20 sto
ry “New book gives
advice to room
mates” should
have said that tori
Stephens lived in
the Janet Smith
Co-op.
The caption for
the photo that went
with the story “Po
lice substation
helps to decrease
crime” should have
cited Bev Mason as
the Eugene Police
community service
specialist. The
Emerald regrets the
errors.
Said
&Done
“The promise
of our future is
limitless. But we
cannot realize that
promise if we al
low the hum of our
prosperity to lull
us into compla
cency."
President Clin
ton talks about
the future of our
nation in bis State
of the Union Ad
“No matter
what the outcome
of the president’s
situation, life in
America will go
on, our lives will
continue to be
filled with practical
matters and not
constitutional
ones."
Rep. Jennifer
Dunn In the Re
publican’s re
sponse to Presi
dent Clinton's
State of the Union
Address.
“The School of
Journalism and
Communication at
the University of
Oregon in Eugene
givesstudentsthe
opportunity for
high quality edu
cation while enjoy
ing a wonderful
quality of life, if
you want quality
when you wake
up. turn to CBS
and you’ll find
there’s more to
This Morning ”
Tim Gleason,
dean of the jour
nalism school, re
cites before a
camera craw Ms
sound bite tor a
promo of the CBS
morning show
“It’s the only
time the country
even talks about
civil rights and so
cial and economic
justice.”
John Foster at
a Martin Luther
King Jr. remem
brancegathering
at South Eugene
High School Mon
day night