NEWSROOM:
(541)346-5511
E-MAIL
ode@oregoa uoregon.edu
ON-LINE EDITION:
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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITORIAL EDITORS
KameronCole
Stefanie Knowlton
Emerald Endorsements
The following are the editorial board’s endorsements for the ASUO ballot measures that students will vote on today and Thursday. The editorial board en
courages you to make sure your voice is heard. Get out and vote!
TIRE
DESCRIPTION
ODE VOTE
REASON
MEASURE 1 Shall the $26,212 allocated to the Designated Driver Shuttle, by the PFC, in the Yes
spring of 1998 be transferred by the ASUO Executive for use by the Designated
Driver Shuttle?
MEASURE 2 Shall it be resolved that the students of the University of Oregon formally request
the University of Oregon cease purchasing Gardenburger brand products effec
tive July 1,1999?
MEASURE 3 Do you support funding the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OS- No
PIRG) from student incidental fees at a rate which reflects approximately $2.88
per student per term for a total of $128,000 per year for two terms beginning July
1,1999?
MEASURE 4 Shall the ASUO Constitution be stricken:
Rule 12.1: “The regular ASUO election shall be held no earlier than (Aprs 1 and no *
later than May 1} of each year" and be amended to state: The regular ASUO election
shall be held no earlier than (February 15 and no later than April 1) of each year."
MEASURE 5 shall student incidental fees be increased by approximately $1.45 per student per yes
term for a period of one year to generate $72,878 to fund the operation of the
Designated Driver Shuttle?
MEASURE 6 ShaH a incidentaj fee be established at $7.06 per student per term to gen- Yes
erate approximately $360,000to fund unlimited bus service within the Lane Tran
sit District service area for all currently registered U of 0 students for the 1999-00
fiscal year? Law students would pay $10.59 per regular semester and $7.06 per
student summer semester.
The fact that the money in question has already been allocated to DDS by the Programs Finance
Comm'ttee somewhat limits debate on this measure. If passed, the measure would redistribute
$26,212 within the DDS account, allowing them to purchase a new van. We are a bit wary of the
“unforeseen payroll costs” and the “administration costs," and would like to see them explained,
but the more pressing issue at this point is keeping DDS in business.
Frankly, some of us remain a bit baffled as to why this measure is even on the ballot The measure
is nonbinding, so even if it passes it will not directly affect the presence of Gardenburgers on cam
pus. Furthermore, the only place on campus where one can actually get a Gardenburger is in the
residence hails, where students continue to consume the p roduct even though an' alternative is of
fered alongside it. We fully support efforts to educate students about the issue of migrant labor and
the boycott of NORPAG foods. We ateo agree thatastrong student mandate a^instGardenburg
er*s presence on campus would be a valuable tool in negotiations for its removal. However, only
about 10 percent of students are expected to actually vote. This measure puts that minority in the
position to decide an issue that primarily effects students living in University Housing. That doesn’t
even come dose to being a mandate from the students, no matter what the result.
After interviewing representatives from both the Committee to Re-establish OSPIRG and opposing
groups, the editorial board engaged in a lengthy debate on both perspectives. When the dust set
tled, the majority of members were against restoring OSPIRG’s funding. While we all agreed that
OSPIRG fights for important issues, several questions remained about how OSPIRG should func
tion as a student group receiving student fees vs. its current structure. Ultimately, those questions
were enough for a no vote.
Not too much discussion on this one. The measure would amend the ASUO Constitution so that
elections may be held between Feb. 15 and April 1, as opposed to between April 1 and May 1, as
currently stated.
The Designated Driver Shuttle’s decision to bypass PFC and go straight to the ballot could have se
rious ramifications for both the program and other groups on campus. It’s true that if this mea
sure passes, DDS employees will receive some of the largest stipends on campus, but it is also true
that few student-group leaders are paid anything near what they’re worth. Aside from that, DDS
contributes to the overall safety of this campus and the community by keeping drunk drivers off the
road and reducing the number of alcohol-related assaults and other crimes. It is more than worth it
to part with $1.45 a term to continue this service. Whether it passes or not, expect to hear plenty
more on this issue next year.
At$7.06 perform,the unlimited-use LTDpass 1$ one ofthefewreal bargains on campus.The
money provides a service that would cost each student $30 per term to purchase independently.
Aside from thefect that the bus is the primary mode of transportation for many students, iTsapice
thing to have just In case. Remember what your mother usedtoteltyou whenyoutried toteavethe
house without a jacket It’s better tohave itand not need it then to need hand not have it.
Letters to the Editor
Former ASUO presidential candidate Reid addresses campus
here comes a time when we all need
to sit down and finally rediscover
JL why we get involved in anything
while we are members of this campus com
munity. Not many people have done this
over the course of the past year, especially
in the past week.
We’d like to think that every member of
the ASUO gets involved in student govern
ment because they truly believe that they
have the ability and the desire to make
things better for students on this campus. I
have no doubt in my mind that the two
main tickets for ASUO Executive this year
have the ability and the desire to make stu
dents’ lives better.
However, it is impossible to do anything
about the issues that we attempt to influ
ence if we continue to waste our time, our
energy and our dignity by bickering about
every last little thing that may have gone
wrong with elections, which is a time when
a number of students on this campus make
up their mind as to what they think of the
ASUO.
We need to constantly be asking our
selves what course of action truly repre
sents the best interests of the students. What
you’ve read in this newspaper is not what
has really transpired. Grievances filed prior
to the announcement of the primary elec
tion results were not dealt with until this
past Sunday.
No injunction filed by Matt Swanson and
I has been addressed because the ASUO
Constitution Court is just meeting now,
Tuesday afternoon, as this is being written.
As a general rule, take whatever the Emer
ald says with a grain of salt because they’ve
got everything mixed up most of the time.
But the time has come that Matt and I
have decided that to push forward with the
regular barrage of grievances, complaints,
appeals, false and/or misleading Emerald
articles and editorials, and the many other
things that contribute to the continuing
trend toward apathy concerning the ASUO,
would do two things that neither of us are
about to be a part of.
One, the ASUO Elections would once
again alienate a group of people that might
still have some glimmer of hope concerning
the ASUO. The elections will lose a little bit
more of their legitimacy, and the ability of
the ASUO Executive for the 1999-2000 aca
demic year would be scarred from the be
ginning.
Secondly, by pushing forward any fur
ther, we put our dignity and the respect that
others have for us on the line. If we lose our
dignity and we lose all respect, we can’t
work on the issues that we care about be
cause we don’t have any credibility.
We can’t do a damn thing about campus
safety, or university housing, or renter’s
rights, or child care if people don’t believe
that we are involved solely to make stu
dents lives’ better.
Dan Reid is the ASUO programsfinance sena
tor. Responses may be sent ina e-mail dan
reid@gladstone. uoregon. edu.
Fix elections process
We, the Multi-Cultural Center Board of
Directors, strongly endorse Wylie Chen and
Mitra Anoushiravani as candidates for the
ASUO executive positions. We write this
letter with two intentions: First to support
the candidates whose ideals and goals we
strongly believe in, and more importantly,
to object to the process that allows an Elec
tions Board appointed by the ASUO Execu
tive to recall the election. The MCC board
believes this is not a democratic system. We
need an Elections Board unaffiliated with
the ASUO. We recommend establishing a
means to appoint or elect an impartial Elec
tions Board. Furthermore, for the sake of
creating an impartial and objective Elec
tions Board, we suggest relocating the office
to a neutral location outside of the ASUO
Executive office. These suggestion should
be addressed to ensure fair and democratic
elections for the future.
MCC Board of Directors