Speakers ask for democracy
■ The HRA held a teach-in
last weekend and
advocated a realignment
of University configuration
By Emily Gust
Oregon Daily Emerald
In a culture that values democ
racy as a given, some students say
the University is not holding itself
to the same standards.
Kicking off a movement to
bring democracy to the college
campus, the Human Rights Al
liance held a teach-in over the
weekend that focused on student
concerns surrounding workers’
rights and discussion of the Uni
versity’s decision-making struc
ture.
“We’re trying to raise aware
ness about the lack of a democrat
ic system on our campus,” HRA
member Jevon Cutler said.
It was not just one or two
events that sparked HRA’s ac
tions, he said. Instead, the teach
in came as a result of many inci
dents adding up.
One face-off was when several
students fought hard to institute
Pride Hall, a theme hall for homo
sexual students, but the Universi
ty administration denied the pro
posal.
Another duel, spearheaded by
University students, was fought
over whether the administration
would support a boycott of Gar
denburger, which it did not.
And the most recent battle has
been fought over the Workers’
Rights Consortium, which many
/^reoooooor
students want the University ad
ministration to sign.
“All these issues represent the
lack of autonomy among faculty,
staff and students,” Cutler said.
“There’s no true democracy.”
A meeting earlier this year in
Klamath Falls joined the forces of
the HRA and students from
Southern Oregon, Willamette and
Portland State universities. The
students formed a student coali
tion, which they called Students
Organizing for Labor and Democ
racy (SOLD), and the group aims
to change the way in which deci
sions are made on university
campuses. The teach-ins are a
way for the students to organize
and educate themselves on what
they are up against.
“The focus of the teach-in was
[the fact that] every single issue
we work on campus is tied to stu
dent democracy,” Survival Center
worker Randy Newnham said.
Approximately 40 students
showed up at the weekend teach
in to listen to various speakers in
several different workshops and
plan strategies for the upcoming
movement toward demanding
more democracy.
The first workshop discussed
the University’s place in workers’
rights. Representatives from the
Oregon Public Employees Union
to the Graduate Teaching Fellows
Federation spoke to the students
and described their personal
struggles as workers.
A second workshop was more
of an educational presentation,
with ASUO President Wylie
imnnonnonn
Chen explaining the way that the
University, as well as the larger
community, functions when mak
ing decisions.
HRA member Sara Jacobson
said that a big part of the structur
al discussion was focused on the
Oregon University System. All
public universities in Oregon are
governed by an 11-member
board, of which the members are
appointed, not elected. That is an
important point, she said, be
cause the question arises whether
people who are appointed to a po
sition are really accountable to
the people they are representing.
The final workshop was an at
tempt to organize for an anti
sweatshop campaign.
A large part of the discussion
overall was determining where
the students’ strengths lay as part
of the University community.
“Our strength is that we act as
the moral conscience of universi
ties,” Jacobson said, “that we are
not tied by other interests.”
The workshop’s culmination
came Sunday when the students
gathered to discuss plans for the
future, specifically as to where
the SOLD movement is heading.
University students and stu
dents from the other universities
established lines of communica
tion, Newnham said, which will
ensure that students are support
ing each other in their common
movement.
“As members of this campus
community,” Newnham said,
“we should have a voice in how
it’s run.”
@/e/e/@/@/e/ o'er ere' of or
Calendar
Wednesday, April 5
The EMU Budget Committee vvi!I meet at 4:30 p.m, in the EMU Board Room.
The EMU House Committee wil! meet at 4:30 p.m. in the Century D room in the EMU.
The Dr, Edwin Coleman benefit dinner lor PCUN will be held at 5 p.m. in the EMU Fir Room. The suggested donation for
the event is $8. The program will be followed at 7 p,m. by a speaking engagement featuring Bobby Seale and Edward
JamesOlmos in the EMU Ballroom.
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CRIME
WATCH
(Reported from March 28 through
April 4)
March30: Criminal Mischief II,
800 block East 11th Avenue, build
ing burglarized .
April 1: Theft I (from vehicle),
1600 block East 15th Avenue, win
dow smashed, stereo stolen
April 2: Disorderly Conduct; Re
sisting Arrest, 800 block East 13th
Avenue, subject arrested
April 2: Burglary 1,1600 block
East 15th, items stolen
April 2; Criminal Mischief II, 1300
block Agate Street, property dam
aged
Crime prevention tip of the week
from OPS Officer Bob Guse:
On the first date, agree to meet
that special someone somewhere
other than your home, in case the
person’s not all that special.
Celebrate Spring
Sidewalk Sale
Thursday, April 6th & Friday, April 7th
Gel ready for Ihe /un with
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