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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2001)
Thursday Editor in chief: Jack Clifford Managing Editor: Jessica Blanchard Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O. box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu EDITORIAL EDITOR: MICHAEL J. KLECKNER opededitor@journalist.com We all pay the price PAT PAYNE Tuition is a perennial problem for college students, especially out-of-state students. For the University of Oregon, each year will set an average out-of-state stu dent back around $13,000. If you’re an Oregonian, you can knock off $10,000. If you want to go to Har vard, even if you hail from Massa chusetts, expect to pay about as much as a luxury, four door Lexus with no extras. For the entire year. No fooling, folks, to at tend the prestigious Harvard, the school with its own coats of arms, ex pect to shell out $35,000 per year. And, there is an extra hurdle if you’re from California. There are “ex change programs,” if you will, that al low students from different states west of the Rockies to attend universities in other western states for only 150 per cent of in-state tuition. However, if you’re from California and want to go to either Eugene or Corvallis, the re sponse you can expect is “Go invade Idaho, you evil Californicator.” Feh. So much for us all being one big, happy country. It’s not this hard in Europe. Higher education is free. Just pass an insanely hard battery of tests in your last year of high school, and you’re guaranteed a spot in any university of your choice. And even if you can’t make it into a university, there are free (or near-free) vocational schools or smaller colleges. However, would it fly in America? It could mean raising taxes, and right now, we have people without children griping about having to pay taxes to run primary and secondary education with the refrain “I don’t have children, why should I pay to send someone else’s brats to high school?” Let me digress for a moment and say to these people: Fine. Don’t pay. We’ll just let one of these uneducated kids perform your double bypass 20 years from now. Something has to be done. A dinky tax credit and a few relief bills passed by Congress aren’t going to do it. Something has to be done to bring tuition down across the board, at both public and pri vate schools. Whether that is govern ment subsidies for schools — which is done already on the state level, and a fat lotta good that does for those of us who aren’t residents of said state — or other, alternative ways — perhaps private sub sidies from businesses or perhaps even forcing schools into a competitive model in both price and education value — something has to be done. Because now, “guns or butter” has become “schooling or automobiles.” Even worse... A disturbing trend on many college campuses is the increasing instances of rape. According to one Department of Justice report, on a campus with a fe male population comparable to ours (around 10,000), 350 women will be victims of rape during their college ca reers. Even more appalling is the fact that of those women, nearly two-thirds will be victims in their residence halls, more than will be victims of rape at a fraternity house or living in apart ments. Why this number is sickeningly high is a matter of debate. However, there can be no debate that one rape is one too many. Campus authorities must do what they can to stem this rise in sexual assault. They should, either through on-cam pus groups or residence hall associa tions, offer self-defense training to those who wish to take part. Security should be strengthened in dorms as well, which would have the double ef fect of making the residents feel more secure while putting potential rapists on notice that they are not welcome. It might even behoove the residence halls to consider some sort of en forced prohibition, as many sexual assaults are fueled by alcohol. What we do not need, however, is the perpetuation of the myth that all men are rapists. Someone who commits as horrible, uncon scionable of an act as rape is an abnor mal person. Yes, we need to be aware and come together to end sexual as sault. We have to come to the aid of those who are victims or potential vic tims. We have to end the so-called “rape culture” proffered by garbage speakers such as “Eminem.” We do not, however, need to engage in point Bryan Dixon Emerald less political name calling at a time when we need every person on campus to come together to end campus rape at colleges across the United States. All men are not rapists. But we can help put an end to rape. 4 Diermger tragedy demands response Guest Commentary Mike Kepferle From across the country, we have heard of the loss of Jill Dieringer and have read with much sadness and many prayers the ordeal and pain of the University community, her friends and her family who are try ing to understand and deal with this latest tragic case of meningo coccal disease. I live in Maryland, but since we lost our 18-year-old son, Pat, to the rapid, devastating attack of this highly preventable killer disease, we have become acutely aware of the pain and suffering of families nationwide from very similar loss es. I feel compelled to write to the families and students in Eugene about this terrible disease and the incredible pain it causes those who have to deal with its often-fatal progress. Parents need to become better in formed about this disease. Your community seems to be responding effectively to this health issue, and your paper should be commended on reporting on the availability of the vaccine. Although it might not be a total shield, it protects people in about 70 percent of the cases by dealing with four of the five main serogroups of the bacteria. While we all wade through confusing in formation on the disease, I would like to point out that the chances of an outbreak or single death happen ing become reduced significantly simply if students are vaccinated, if parents are afforded the opportuni ty to vaccinate their children and if all are provided the information that clearly states what may happen if they aren’t vaccinated. In Maryland, a law was passed last year requiring incoming college students to show proof of meningi tis vaccination or to sign a waiver. There is some issue with not all in surers covering the cost, but if chil dren are required to receive the vac cine, it can help convince insurance companies to cover the costs. I strongly urge those of you in Oregon who are trying to sort through the issues and deal with the loss of Miss Dieringer to do two things. First, ensure that you are able to get the vaccine, and if you are a par ent, demand that your children be vaccinated. If you are a student, get the shot now. Have the doctor show you the information insert with the vaccine, and then, if your doctor re sists, find another doctor. Second, write or call your state legislators, asking them to start a bill to protect against meningitis with a vaccination program and ed ucation. It took many dedicated leg islators and parents, and the loss of a few good teenagers to help ensure a bill passed in Maryland. Parents in Texas, New York, Michigan, Illi nois, Georgia and California are try ing to include high-school and mid dle-school children in their states’ bills with varying degrees of suc cess. I sincerely hope and pray that Oregon can improve quickly on Maryland’s groundbreaking menin gitis vaccination legislation, which passed here too late for our son. Meanwhile, I hope that your col leges and universities are at least complying with the ACIP, ACHA and CDC recommendations that dorm students be afforded the in formation about and opportunities for vaccination against meningo coccal meningitis. Know that my heart breaks for Jill’s family and friends. We are walking the same path of tears that you and too many others have also walked. Our prayers and support are with you every day. Mike Kepferle lives in Lexington Park, Md Letters to the editor Goodbye from a classmate I went to high school with Jill [Dieringer] at LaSalle High School in Milwaukie. We had English together every year, I think, and we always ended up sitting close to one another. We would make a point of saying hello to each other every time we would see each other. She gave me her senior picture, and on the back she wrote, “I’m looking forward to seeing you at our 10-year reunion.” I’ll remember that for the rest of my life. The sisters of Kappa Delta are right about one thing: She always had a smile for everyone, all the time. I’ll miss you Jill, as does the Class of 2000 at LaSalle High School. Troy Crivellone Portland Thanks for the smile I also went to high school with Jill [Dieringer] at La Salle. 1 was quite shocked to hear of her death. I found out when I was checking my e-mail and found several messages from other former classmates about her death. I will always remember Jill for her kind spirit and beautiful smile, which she shared with all of us at La Salle. She was one of the sweetest and most caring people I have ever met. She cared deeply about others. Erin Dibala Helena, Mont. CORRECTION The story about getting help with your taxes ("Beta Alpha Psi to aid stu dents with tax season woes,” ODE, Feb. 14) left out Feb. 17 as a date to meet with the accounting fraternity. The location is the Chiles Center, room 228. The Emerald regrets the error.
