Wednesday
October 20,1999
Volume 101, Issue 37
Weather
University of Oregon -
Eugene, Oregon
An independent newspaper
www.dailyemerald.com
Women run into top 25
The women’s cross country team, now ranked No. 23, joins
the No. 12 men's squad in the most recent top-25 poll after
both had a successful weekend at the Pre-NCAAs. PAGE 7
Domestic violence prevention
Lane County’s grant toward helping to eliminate the problem
has expired, and a new one will not be granted based on little
evidence that previous funding was successful. PAGE 3
Unraveling
the
String of Truth
Group protests for
full-disclosure on
companies that produce
University apparel
By Christopher Arnold
lor the Emerald
Human Rights Alliance members
showcased their “alternative fashion
show” at the EMU Amphitheater on
Tuesday to protest the University name
being licensed to corporations that use
foreign contract manufacturing.
About 10 alliance members wore
University apparel in an effort to pre
sent University policies on merchan
dising to passers-by. After modeling
their fashions, the group headed to
Johnson Hall, where they submitted
their demand for the establishment of
a University Corporate Code of Con
duct by Nov. 17. The group then took
off their apparel to showcase “full dis
closure” written across their chests.
A code of conduct would require all
licensees using the University name to
provide full disclosure of factory loca
tions and working conditions where
University apparel is manufactured,
said Sarah Jacobson, a member of the
alliance. The University of Wisconsin,
Duke and Dartmouth have already
passed such a proposal.
“We began working on these issues
last February after the passage of a cor
porate code of conduct at Duke and at
other large universities. It alerted us to
the possibility of establishing one here
and brought to our attention the impor
tance of these issues,” Jacobson said.
Duncan McDonald, vice president of
public affairs and development and
overseer of the licensing of the Univer
sity name to companies, said the Uni
Turn to Protest, Page 3
Catharine Kendall Emerald
Jamuna Golden (front) and Kristin Valasek pose during the sweatshops fashion show in the EMU Am
phitheater on Tuesday afternoon.
Diversity
Program
faces up to
challenges
■ Members of the recently formed
Diversity Program implement plans
created during the summer
By Jeremy Lang
Oregon Daily Emerald
The Summer Diversity Program will con
tinue this school year, but with a new look
and a newly created position.
A Coordinating Diversity Intern position
was created this term to bring together the
remaining interns from the summer pro
gram and help implement their ideas, ac
cording to ASUO President Wylie Chen. In
about two weeks, members of the ASUO,
Faculty Advisory Council and the Univer
sity Administration will begin searching for
someone to fill the position.
Of the original 10 summer Diversity In
terns, seven graduated and three are still at
the University and working in different of
fices across campus. The summer program
was instituted in response to a sit-in protest
for more campus diversity on May 18, at
Johnson Hall.
Dave Hubin, University executive assis
tant president, said the new position is cru
cial to keeping diversity a priority on cam
pus. “Over the summer, the Diversity
Interns had the energy and took initiative,
but they weren’t connected to any campus
groups. Now the program needs to be fused
into the everyday operation of the Universi
ty,” he said.
Money to finance the position will come
from either the Academic Affairs or the
President’s budget, University Provost John
Moseley said. He anticipates the new pro
Turn to Diversity, Page 3
Board to decide whether gay partners will receive tuition discount
■ A decision by the State Board of
Higher Education regarding the
amendment is expected Thursday
Stefanie Knowlton
Oregon Daily Emerald
University graduate Sean Brient paid
$10,000 more for his college education be
cause he is gay, he testified at a public hear
ing Tuesday.
Brient’s partner, Jim Warhol, worked at
the University in 1996 as a computer pro
grammer when the two of them applied for
a resident tuition discount, an employee
benefit granted to married couples that se
cures in-state tuition for out-of-state spous
es.
The couple consider themselves married,
but under Oregon law, Brient is not a
spouse. He was denied benefits.
Three years later, the couple testified at
the University public hearing to amend the
benefit rule that excluded them. The pro
posed amendment for the tuition discount
will be voted on by the State Board of High
er Education and a decision is expected
Thursday.
“It seems like a reasonable and fair
thing, and I’m glad the University is getting
around to doing it,” Brient said.
The proposed amendment comes after
the landmark 1998 Oregon case Tanner v.
Oregon Health Science University, in which
an Oregon appellate court ruled that offer
ing benefits to married persons and not
same-sex domestic partners is discriminato
ry and violates the state constitution.
Shortly before the decision was handed
down, the Public Employees Benefit Board,
an Oregon University Systems board, grant
ed domestic partners health and dental cov
erage.
Additional benefits, such as the tuition
discount and life insurance, are still in the
process of being awarded to same-sex do
mestic partners under the Tanner case, OUS
spokesman Philip Bransford said.
Stephanie Carnahan, director of Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Education
al and Support Services, said to comply
with the ruling, the University has to extend
the benefits to same-sex partners.
“It’s almost a no brainier,” she said. “The
University has to come in line with the
case.”
The board has a temporary rule already in
place that grants the tuition discount to
same-sex domestic partners retroactively to
January 1999, just after the Tanner ruling,
Bransford said.
Life insurance, however, is not scheduled
to be voted on until January 2000, and this
ruling will not be retroactive, he said.
“These actions are taking place at the first
available opportunity,” Bransford said.
Brient, who graduated last year, will re
ceive a small reimbursement for the tuition
he paid during his last term if the amend
ment passes.
The new rule, however, would require
same-sex domestic partners to sign an affi
davit swearing cohabitation, commitment,
financial responsibility, among other things,
Turn to Hearing, Page 6
Proposed criteria
The University may use the following to estab
lish same-sex domestic partnership:
They share a close personal relationship and
consider themselves responsible for each oth
er’s welfare.
Each is currently the other’s sole domestic
partner and neither has had another domestic
partner within the preceding six months.
Neither one is married to another partner nor
are the couple related by blood cioserthan
would bar marriage in the State d Oregon.
They have jointly shared the same regular and
permanent residence for at least six months
and have plans to continue this arrangement
on an indefinite basis.
They are jointly financially responsible for ba
sic living expenses defined as the cost of food,
shelter and any other costs...
SOURCE: TtieOcL 21 S&teBoardofHigherEducation's meeting