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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1999)
Thursday, February 18, I91)1) Weather forecast Today Friday Rain Showers High 54, Low 40 High 52, Low 39 Desert dreams The Ducks enter tonight ’sgame against Arizona State looking to continue a three-game winning streak/PAGE 7 EXTRA! EXTRA! In an effort to better serve our leaders, our on-line edition has been redesigned. Go to www.dailyemerald.com An independent newspaper Volume 100, Issue 101 V University of Oregon www.dailyemeraki.com ASIA-HELP loans relieve students’ financial stress The program’s goal is to provide interest-free loans to students from Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia By Erin Snelgrove Oregon Daily Emerald Because of the failing economies in Asia, thousands of international college students are forced to leave the United States each year and abandon their pursuit of a college degree. Responding to this crisis, the Institute of International Education is launching the Asian Students in America - Higher Educa tion Loan Program. With a $7.75 million grant from the Free man Foundation, a private grant making or ganization, ASLA-HELP’s goal is to provide interest-free loans to students from Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Applications for the interest-free loan for the 1999-2000 school year are now available in the Office of International Education and Exchange. “When the Asian crisis first hit last year, these countries were the most severely af fected,” said Hilary Lord, an international coordinator for OIEE. “So in response to that, the HE decided to offer aid to students Turn to LOAN, Page 6 Spill sparks discourse on effects of pollution The clean-up techniques used in Coos Bay leave students and professors with mixed feelings By Amy Jennaro Oregon Daily Emerald The recent oil spill at Coos Bay has prompted intense dia logue among University staff and students about how envi ronmental disasters should be handled and how to minimize the effects of pollution after a spill has occurred. The New Carissa, a 173-ton freighter, ran aground Feb. 4 af ter dropping anchor during a storm. Authorities have burned most of its fuel to prevent a large scale disaster on the beaches. But the remaining oil in the ship, now in two pieces just off shore, is still a problem. Opinions are divided on whether burning the oil aboard the New Carissa was the most ef fective action authorities could have taken to minimize the spill’s effects. “I think it was the best they could have done under the cir cumstances,” said Lynda Shapiro, professor of marine bi ology. But Meilani Clark, a graduate student in environmental stud ies, said she thinks the situation could have been handled better. “I think that there needs to be some plan so when something like this happens, we could go ahead with an action instead of waiting a few days," she said. The jury is also hung on what the long-term effects of the spill might be. Janet Hodder, associate pro fessor of marine biology and a specialist in birds, sees some po tential effects on the bird popu lation in the area. Hodder noted that 45 birds have already died after being oiled by the spill, including 14 snowy plovers, an endangered species. “There is a potential for long term effects,” she said. Hodder, who is on sabbatical, also cautioned that it is prema ture to jump to conclusions of how extensive those effects might be. Other professors are less opti mistic. Paul Engleking, professor of chemistry, sees a slow recovery time for the area. “I would say five years out there will be effects from this, based on what I have seen in pre vious spills,” he said. Shapiro, whose office at the marine biology department is only five miles from the spill, Turn to NEW CARISSA, Page 3 A stretch for the • i mind I_ Nick Medley/Kmerald Kevin Ott demonstrates a chi kung exercise called “Holding Up the Sky” Tuesday afternoon during the HEAL Conference at the Lane County Fairgrounds. Ott is scheduled to teach the Chinese form of exercise spring term at the University. Chi kung, a 5,000-year old Asian exercise, is the focus of a one-credit class By Amanda Schultz Oregon Daily Emerald Relaxation, attracting vital energy and cleansing the pathways through which your energy flows are all skills that can be gained in a new physical education class being offered spring term. Chi kung, a 5,000-year-old Asian exer cise, is the focus of a one-credit class mak ing its first appearance on the University schedule. Officials decided to offer the class after local instructor Kevin Ott “came to our doorstep.” “He was interested in teaching the class,” said Peg Rees, director of Physical Activity and Recreation Services. “We lis tened to his presentation and decided to offer it.” Ott, who has also taught the class at Linn-Benton Community College in Al bany, describes the exercise as “Chinese yoga or yoga from a Chinese perspective.” By exercising every joint in the body, chi kung can relax the mind while exercis ing the body, Ott said. “It really is tai chi internalized,” he said. “Instead of focusing on the outside of the body, you concentrate on the energy on the inside of the body.” In Chinese hospitals, chi kung has sig nificantly improved the prognosis of pa tients with chronic diseases and reduced stress-related dysfunctions, Ott said. The exercise’s movements move joints and tendons, stimulate blood and lymph flow and relax muscles and the mind. Turn to CHI KUNG, Page 6 ((Instead offocusing on the outside of the body, you concentrate on the energy on the inside of the body. ^ Kevin Ott Chi kung instructor