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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2001)
ASUO pushes to minimize upcoming tuition hike ■Student leaders have organized a letter-writing campaign to ask for support from Oregon legislators By Jeremy Lang Oregon Daily Emerald Members of the ASUO Execu tive realize cuts in higher educa tion funding are imminent this legisla tive session, but they be lieve state politicians can help prevent dou ble-digit tuition increases for Uni versity students. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber’s re cently proposed state budget for the next two years includes $94.3 million less for the Oregon Univer sity System, and although budget details will be fiercely debated in Salem in the coming months, Uni versity President Dave Frohnmay er told the University Senate Wednesday that tuition increases are coming. “What’s being proposed [by Kitzhaber] is a step back, maybe two steps back,” said Brian Tanner, ASUO state affairs coordinator. But Tanner, who through his ASUO position will work closely with members of the Legislature, OUS and the Oregon Student As sociation, said the big question now is how high the increase will go in the next two years. He said OUS proposed to Kitzhaber a tuition increase be tween 5 and 8 percent split be tween the two years, and Kitzhaber’s plan sets an increase at 8 percent.“But there is talk that it could go higher than 8 percent,” Tanner said. ASUO President Jay Breslow said he wants to halt the tuition in crease at a biennium 5 percent, or 2.5 percent each year for the next two years. To do that, Breslow said, the ASUO is organizing a letter-writ ing campaign to a group of nine lo cal politicians and two committee chairs, trying to gain support from the legislators who will vote on the specific parts of Kitzhaber’s budg et. “It’s a mix of damage control and proactive work,” Breslow said. Tanner said the ASUO hasn’t or ganized other campaigns, but he wants to create some that will ad dress the specific effects on stu dents and faculty. “More than the numbers, stu dents want to know what it means for them,” Tanner said. Many, including Tanner and Breslow, worry that higher tuition will eventually decrease enroll ment and hurt campus programs. “It’s disappointing. The current quality of programs is going to be hurt,” Tanner said. “Innovative new programs are going to be hurt.” On Wednesday, Frohnmayer said it’s still too soon to know what the final budget will mean for students. He said he did not want to “sound alarmist,” and an end to the recent tuition freeze was expected. Tanner agreed that tuition was going to rise eventually, but said the situation is grim regardless of the final numbers. “There’s about an $800 million shortfall in a state budget of about $10 billion,” he said. Breslow said that while the Uni versity’s needs will remain crucial, the ASUO plans to fight for the proposed increased funding for community colleges. The Legislature will approve the final state budget sometime in the spring. But Tanner said as specific parts are passed, it will become clear who in government will fight for higher education and exactly how much money will be avail able. They might vote first on K-12 schools, which receive more than half the state budget. If that deci sion becomes bogged down in par tisan politics, Tanner said, other budget debates may become heavi ly political as well. “If it takes three months [to de cide K-12], we’re in trouble,” he said. University to provide safety, health programs for workers ■The Labor Education and Research Center has received a contract that will fund the new training programs By Brooke Ross Oregon Daily Emerald Thanks to a $1.8 million con tract from the State Accident In surance Fund (SAIF) corporation, the University can now offer train ing in health and safety programs to labor union members off cam pus. SAIF, a public corporation that settles worker compensation claims, offered the University’s La bor Education and Research Cen ter the contract to increase the r availability of safety and health training programs for labor union members throughout Oregon on Dec. 12. The funding will also help University students explore labor issues. Established in 1977, LERC hosts workshops on labor law and histo ry, provides guest lecturers for University departments and occa sionally offers classes on labor-re lated topics. “Our goal is to look for sectors within the labor communities with the biggest safety problems that we can have the greatest effect on,” said Steven Hecker, associate pro fessor and director of occupational safety and health programs at LERC. Hecker said SAIF members, along with various labor union workers, will work with the re search center on its advisory board to determine the areas that need the most training based on SAIF’s injury claim data. “We will be looking at health care problems such as sprains and infectious diseases and high-haz ard industries like construction,” he said, adding that training pro grams will be developed where they are most needed. “We want to give people an overall better understanding of the elements of workplace safety,” he said. David Thurber, vice president for policy holder services for SAIF, said the contract is already in ef fect. “The plans are forming and the advisory committee is underway as we speak,” he said. Thurber said the company was seeking to provide a safety educa tion system with longevity, which is why it chose LERC. “They’re designed to educate on that same issue, so it was a valu able place to partner and train Ore gon workers,” he said. One way the research center is preparing to educate more people is by hiring more employees. Hecker said the organization is currently in the process of adding two full-time positions that should be filled by spring. Marcus Widenor, associate pro fessor and interim director of LERC, said there may also be more graduate teaching fellows and stu dent interns hired if the program expands. “We will be able to reach a lot more people with this funding than we’ve had in the past,” he said. Margaret Hallock, a LERC pro fessor who also supervises the cen ter’s internships, said students will benefit from the contract. “The funding will provide for more internships that will give students a hands-on experience about concrete issues of the labor workplace, so students will be left with a better understanding of the labor economy,” she said. GOT I i STOllY IDEA? GIVE US A CALL! 346-5511 swoto Basement Bargains! We re clearing out all of our discontinued stock Friday, January 12-Sunday, January 21 Haflinger, UGG’s, Clarks, Ecco,Teva, Josef Seibel, Simple, Dansko, Blundstone, Naot, Acorn slippers... And even a few Birkenstocks FOOTWSE THE BIRKENSTOCK STORE 181 East Broadway • Downtown Eugene • 342-6107 Mon-Sat: 10-6, Sun 11-5 • Limited to stock on hand. Sorry, no holds, layaways, special orders or returns. Floor Aerobic Intermed. Step ^termed. Step Interfiled. Step Kickbox Aerobics Intermed. Step Kick Box Aerobics • A maximum of 30 participants may enter a workout •In order to enter a workout, the participant must present both their punch card and photo ID. • Classes last 50 minutes. Rec Sports Workout Program has a format to provide better service. We have developed a PUNCH CARD system! This will allow you more flexibility in planning your fitness workouts. It also allows greater variety. COST: 10 punch card $20 20 punch card $30 30 punchcard $40 Unlimited card $45 REGISTRATION begins January 6>th, 102 Esslinger, 8> a.m.-5 p.m CLASSES RUN FROM January 15-March 16, 2001 Classes meet in Room 41 of the Student Rec Center o For more information call 6-4113 or drop by 102 Esslinger.
