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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 2000)
Taking the ROTC challenge ■The ROTC program teaches students leadership and offers scholarships for loyalty and service By Bennett Lacy for the Emerald The Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University offers more than just an easy way to pay for a college education. “We teach leadership. That is the hallmark of what we are all about,” said Major Bill Page, a Freshman Cadet Adviser for the University’s ROTC program. Whether seeking a future serv ing in the United States Army or just wanting to take survival skills classes such as land naviga tion and first aid, interested stu dents may want to take a look at what the ROTC offers. The ROTC Web site, http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ar my/, is a starting point where in terested students can look at the program’s history. Established in 1916, the ROTC program was re quired for all freshman and soph omore male students until the fall of 1962. In its 84-year history, the University’s program has pro duced the highest number of gen eral officers of all non-military ROTC schools nationwide. “Our goal for cadets is to help them become morally upright, mentally bright, emotionally sta ble and physically fit,” Page said. Today, ROTC is an option for all students at the University. One need not be a cadet to take classes in military science from the department. Page teaches approximately one hundred and fifty freshmen in his military science class. Al though a vast majority of the stu dents he teaches are not cadets, he treats all students with equal effort. “We will teach you what you need to know and how to do what you have to do,” Page said in regard to teaching subjects such as survival skills. A big draw for ROTC programs across the nation is the scholar ship opportunities cadets receive for their loyalty and service. At the University, a cadet can have up to $16,000 of his or her tuition paid for per year for four years, both in- and out-of-state. In addition to tuition, the pro gram will help pay for a cadet’s books and housing (40 percent of costs if they stay in the residence halls). Furthermore, cadets cur rently enjoy a $200 monthly stipend for extra spending inon ey. The stipend may increase to as much as S600 monthly starting in the fall of 2001. Once a cadet earns his or her degree, he or she owes four years to the military on active duty or eight years as a member of the Army Reserves or National Guard. For those students that are looking for a way to get fit while at the same time earning some credits, the Ranger Challenge is a club sport put on by ROTC that competes against other northwest universities. Sergeant First Class Jonathan Dinsmore heads the Ranger Chal lenge for the University. This year the competition will be host ed at the University. Both males and females can get involved in the Ranger Challenge by en rolling in MIL 199. “The competition includes events such as the army physical iitness test, a hand grenade course, a one-rope bridge across a stream and M-16 weapon disas sembly,” Dinsmore said. For more information on the Ranger Challenge or any aspect of the ROTC program, call ROTC at 346-2810 or visit its Web site http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ar mv/. The play’s the thine at the Pocket KThe Pocket Playhouse, student-run and uncensored, gives,stydentus the chance to direct, actand produce By Lindsay Buchele for the Emerald The Pocket Playhouse, a group giving undergraduate students an opportunity to direct plays, is prac tically throwing power into stu dents’ laps. Run completely by stu dents for students, this group supports a different play almost every weekend, said Pocket Play house Board member Wayne Bund, “Most of the students submitting plays are theater majors,” Bund said. ‘ ‘ H o wever, for about even' seven theater majors there is about one director who is not involved in theater. ’ ’ There are students writing their own plays or wishing to direct a production who have no place to do it. There is only one directing class currently offered to undergraduate students, which leaves those students wanting to focus on directing at a disadvantage. The Pocket Playhouse exists to provide a venue for their productions, as well as financial and emotional support. r When a student wishes to direct a play, they must first submit the script or proposal to the Pocket Playhouse Board. . “ Aalong as a play fits into the tech nical limitations of the theater and the length doesn’t exceed 90 min utes, a play can be performed,” Pock et Playhouse Co-chaif-Kim Harmon said. “We don’t exclude a play based on content.” What this means for students is that the Board will exercise no cen sorship. Any play can be performed, with performance dates determined by a lottery. “Each term, those directors wish ing to put plays on for tire following term draw a number out of a bowl.” Bund said. “ The number detennines which order each director gets to pick their performance weekend. If a director doesn’t get a weekend for that tenn [be cause there are too many plays), they have double the chance during the next drawing.” Directors are responsible for cast ing their own actors and finding their own stage managers but are provid ed with S75 from the Pocket Play house, Harmond said. Any other funding must come from the directors, “Spin the Bottle” director Ben Martin said. “Spin the Bottle” will be the first plav tobe performed through the Pocket Play house this term. “Since my play also incorporates video and photography images, I was able to get funding from other places,” Martin said. Funding is not the only thing tire board piovideslhe directors. Each direc tor is given a director’s liaison and techni cal directors to help the production go more smoothly, Harmond said, although somegomore smoothly than others. “I’ve seen all level of things happen, from directors being prepared months in advance to directors putting everything together at the last minute,” Harmond said. Even though the group is inde pendent from the school, it is ASUO funded and works closely with the faculty. The board interacts with the faculty based on its need for a venue and funding, according to former fac ulty liaison Holly Johnson. “We interact with the faculty to get ad vice and help with organization prob lems,” Johnson said. "We help facilitate things for all of the theater department and act as the link between the students and faculty,” Harmond said. 010225 FREE LEGAL SERVICES + Legal Services handles a wide range of legal problems from divorces to landlord tenant disputes t There is never a consultation or settlement fee. I Legal Services staff members are experienced, qualified professionals. t Legal Services are FREE to current fee-paying U of O students. Contact Legal Services, EMU, Room 334 (Third floor above the Fish Bowl). Or call 346-4273 to set up an appointment. http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~legal Speech and Debate: a history of success ■The long-lived Speech and Debate Team has garnered respect and helps students stay informed By Eugene Chen for the Emerald Enjoying a long-standing tradi tion of recognition and success at the University, the Speech and De bate Team is more than just great oration and persuasive arguments. The Forensic program — which encompasses the Speech and De bate Team — was founded in 1876 and has achieved high acclaim and prestige, even earning a national first place ranking in 1969. “We’ve been around since the University was founded,” senior and team captain Allan Tauber said. “The tremendous success of the Speech and Debate Team in 1911 allowed it to financially help aid the football program.” The team, an ASUO student or ganization and now part of the Honors College, consists of 40 members which participate in 15 tournaments during the academic year. The University is one of only six schools in the Pacific Northwest to have a full speech and debate program, Tauber said. The team survived a close call when the State of Oregon passed Measure 5 in 1992. The measure proposed to limit property taxes, which are the Speech and Debate team’s main source of funding. The Speech and Communications pro gram, which originally housed the Speech and Debate team, closed as a result of the University’s budget decrease. “Our team almost went out of business,” Tauber said. However, the team survived be cause of the efforts of David Frank. Frank, formerly active with the Speech and Communications pro gram, took over the position of Honors College Director in 1993 and played a large part in the trans fer of the Forensics program to the Honors College. “The University remains com mitted to the Forensic program,” Frank said. The team is getting off to a solid start during the 2000-01 season. “We have one of the strongest teams in years,” Frank said. “We will have students do great things.” The subject of the policy debate this year is whether or not the U.S. government should assist the Greater Horn of Africa. “We’re looking forward to a very Turn to Debate, page 4B Dan Brunell Emerald Student performers Colin Carasher (above) and Ben Hubert rehearse Sunday in prepa ration for the upcoming performance of Spin the Bottle at University Theater. Chi AHho Christian Fellowship uochiolpha.com
