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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2001)
MCC, Women’s Law Forum get budget hikes ■ThePFC granted the Multicultural Center an increase in advertising funds By Lisa Toth Oregon Daily Emerald The Programs Finance Commit tee reconsidered the Multicultural Center’s budget Tuesday night, and in the process the MCC received a 7.6 percent increase in its budget. The MCC was originally recalled before the PFC because of adjust ments made to line items in the group’s budget. But MCC Director Erica Fuller also asked the PFC for an increase in the MCC’s advertis ing budget. Last year was the only year the MCC had a rollover in its advertis ing budget, so PFC members were reluctant to give the MCC an in crease in advertising funds for next year. “The money wasn’t misspent. It wasn’t used efficiently,” Fuller said. “I dare to say if I were here next year that wouldn’t happen again. We will not be able to do anything with $250.” PFC member Lawrence Gillespie wasn’t willing to give the MCC the $825 it was asking for, but he was willing to make a compromise from the original $250 the MCC was granted. “As much as I know they need it, it’s been our policy that if a group doesn’t use it, it is cut,” Gillespie said. “I would be in favor of giving them half of what they had last year.” But PFC member Marie Brink felt $250 was enough to sustain the MCC. “It can get you started, and then you can use fundraising,” Brink said. Before the PFC finally approved the motion to grant the MCC a $415 advertising budget, Fuller spoke in favor of the decision. While she recognized that a cut might be in order, she thought ad vertising funds would be crucial this year and next year to allow the MCC to publicize its upcoming events. “Some people don’t even know what the MCC is. People of color don’t even know,” Fuller said. “We need to increase our visibility and right now that is primarily through advertising.” The Women’s Law Forum ap pealed its original budget of $4,474 and left the PFC meeting with a new budget of $4,732 because a work study position was converted to the stipend model. The stipend model will pay stu Hearing Results: Multicultural Center First Hearing $75,535 Reconsidered $75,691 Women's law Forum First Hearing $4,474 Appeal $4,732 dents a monthly flat rate in place of the hourly wages provided through work study. The mission and goal statement for the Korean Student Association was also approved Tuesday be cause it was not approved during a previous appeal. Jon House for the Emerald Charmaine Coleman accepts a Special Recognition Award at the Black Student Union sponsored ‘Celebrating Black Achievement Night.’ Eric Englund Scholarship $2,000 to enable a University of Oregon graduate to pursue graduate studies at the U of O or elsewhere in American literature or history or a related subject. Apply to the English Department by March 30. STUDENT TRAVEL Achievement continued from page 1 Beginning with the vocal stylings of Olivia Callier and the UO Gospel Singers, the enthusias tic nature of the event drew audi ence shouts and standing ovations throughout the night. When asked why she believed the recognition night was impor tant, junior biology major Bola Majekobaje replied, “A lot of times we don’t get to honor those people who’ve made a big impact on the community, and on me. I’m privileged to be presenting tonight.” Following the opening musical presentation, Rayna LuVert ad dressed the importance of black ancestry and her own personal feelings towards her grandparents’ survival of oppression. The student honorees, mostly seniors, were a large part of the achievement night. They included Daniel Valle, Kim Hutchinson, Glen Banfield, Mike Callier, Jamila Sin gleton and Tanya Thorsteinsson. Valle was pleased to have been recognized along with those stu dents he had spent his last four years of school with. “To be hon ored by our peers is very inspiring to me,” he said. Valle is the ASUO International Student Advocate and a member of the BSU. It A lot of times we don’t get to honor those people who Ve made a big impact on the community, and on me. I'm privileged to be presenting tonight. Bola Majekobaje junior, biology JJ Other recognition came from the Black Women of Achievement. Se nior Dionna Hancock, senior Humu Kim Jabbie, grad student Khaleelah Hancock and graduate student Taryn Tarver were the re cipients of the Black Levelheaded African Queens United for Excel lence (B.L.A.Q.U.E.) awards. An eager crowd watched the recognition of Vivian Barnette, Ba hati Ansari, Kevin Fuller and Char maine Coleman. Each of these re spected members of the community has contributed to the advancement of both minority and non-minority students. Fuller, a Harvard graduate who works for The Oregonian, used the words of Malcolm X in his accept ance speech. He compared black adults like himself to lions and black students to cubs. “If the cubs are proud of the lion,” he said, “then the lion has done his job.” The evening ended with a speech from Margret Carter, the first African-American woman elected to Oregon’s House of Representa tives. She encouraged every indi vidual in the audience to never give up on his or her goals of becoming educated and changing the commu nity. Carter ended with a tri umphant song that urged each per son to help “somebody who is going wrong.” “Do not let anything stand in your way. When hurdles come, they are meant to be moved,” Carter emphasized. “Each of us must take control of our lives.” Energy continued from page 1 sale energy market costs. Stier said the BPA, which pro vides half the power used by the four Northwest states, is now hav ing to buy power at $300 per megawatt hour that used to cost $30 per megawatt hour. This is the cause for Bonneville’s rate increas es, which will take effect this fall. “The rate increases could have a significant effect on the region’s economy,” Stier said. Stier said the problems will only get worse in the next two years, with Bonneville having to decide between environmental concerns and energy production. “Our agency could be broke by this summer,” Stier said. DeFazio expressed his concerns and shared his goals with a gather ing of about 50 people. His short-term goals included seeing that the wholesale market rates, which have risen from 3 cents per kilowatt hour to 30 cents per kilowatt hour, become more reasonable and that more support comes from Congress. His long-term goal is to repeal deregulation. In 1992, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act, which gave states the right to deregulate their energy markets, giving energy companies control of power produc tion. Several politicians, including Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., blame California’s deregulated market for the energy crisis. Historically, Oregon, California and Washington provide energy for each other during each state’s peak months of use. Washington and Oregon have the greatest need during the winter months, but since the energy crisis ensued, Cal ifornia has been taking energy when normally it would be pro viding energy. We're already providing the best service at the lowest cost possible, so the businesses that might want to go into the market will only find higher prices. Mat Northway manager of energy management services, EWEB T “California’s deregulation has triggered a huge, speculative market for wholesale energy,” DeFazio said. Oregon passed its own deregula tion bill during the 1999 Oregon legislative session, which will go into effect Oct. 1, 2001. Oregon’s deregulation bill gives Oregon energy consumers who have a 30-megawatt energy de mand, such as small and large businesses, the option of direct ac cess to the wholesale energy mar ket. This would give businesses that are customers of investor owned utilities the option of by passing these utilities and possibly paying less for their energy.Pub licly owned utilities, such as EWEB, are not required to offer this option to their customers. Northway said if a large company were to come to EWEB and ask to buy from the wholesale market, the board would vote on it. If EWEB allowed that company to buy directly from the market, it would have to give every company that uses the same amount of ener gy the same option.Northway, the manager of energy management services for EWEB, said with the way the market prices are now, there won’t be any businesses wanting to buy directly from the market any time soon. “We’re already providing the best service at the lowest cost pos sible, so the businesses that might want to go into the market will only find higher prices,” Northway said. DeFazio expressed concern for any form of deregulation, whether it directly affects a city or not. “If we have some severe weath er, or anything that would create a necessity for reserve energy, in a deregulated market the private power companies decide how much to charge for that reserve en ergy,” DeFazio said. “It opens the market up for profiteering.”
