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