News Students gather at the McDonald’s on Franklin Boulevard to push for the ethical treatment of the company’s farm animals. Page 4 Sports The Oregon women hit a late shot to defeat the Beavers in overtime. Pap? http://www.rt Monday, February 18,2002 Since 1 900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 103, Issue 98 An act of ‘War’ Ticket focuses on safety, parking, housing Oregon’s Brian Helquist powerfully slams home a two-hand jam in the closing minutes of the Ducks’ 91-62 rout over Oregon State on Saturday at McArthur Court. For complete sports coverage, turn to page 7. ■Candidates Haben Woldu and Oscar Arana say their welcoming personalities will help them create a ‘bigger change and more impact’ By Robin Weber Oregon Daily Emerald Haben Woldu, a sophomore biolo gy major, is running for ASUO presi dent. Oscar Arana, a third year jour nalism major, is running for vice president. Q: There are, at last count, 10 tick ets running for ASUO Executive this year. What do you think will set yourselves apart from the other candidates? A: We have worked on different boards and committees before for stu dents and always feel like we comple ASUO Elections This i$ the ninth in a 10-part series of question and-answer sessions with ASUO Executive candidates. WOLDU ment each other and work well to gether. We have al ready worked for organizations im plementing change on campus, and we just feel this is just a bigger change and more impact. Q: What is your platform? A: We have four main focuses. One of them is the incidental fee. We want to make sure administration pays for the things that they need to pay for and not use the incidental fee. Our other main concern is safety. We want to work together with the Women’s Cen ter and the Department of Public Safe ty office to make sure that it is a safe environment for people to get a good education. Our third platform is park ing. We want the DPS office to focus on safety issues rather than giving tickets and making money on it. Our fourth focus is the hous ing code. The cur rent ASUO Exec, is already working on it and they have several people on board with that and they’re doing an awesome job that we feel could continue. Q: What will you advocate for students on the state level, and how will you carry out your plans? A: We, along with the Oregon Stu dent Association Board, would advo cate a lot for the Oregon Opportunity Grant and childcare. We want to make sure those communities are not going to be marginalized next year and we’re going to do as much as we can to make sure those students can come back the following year. Turn to ASUO, page 6 Campus takes steps to halt computer theft ■ Many departments are attaching serial numbers to computers, and the computer lab coordinator is planning to install surveillance cameras in labs By Beata Mostafavi for the Emerald In response to several University computer and overhead projector thefts, some departments are tightening security measures by implementing tracking devices on campus prop erty and installing surveillance cameras in computer labs. Two weeks ago, someone took a computer central process mg unit, monitor, keyboard and mouse, worth about $300, from the Student Ad vising Room on the third floor of Oregon Hall. A Dell computer was also stolen out of the computer lab in the basement of McKenzie Hall three weeks ago, accord ing to the Department of Public Safety. But the two thefts are not uncommon crimes on campus. DPS receives reports of stolen computers, laptops and digital projectors almost every year, DPS associ ate director Tom Hicks said. During last year alone, he said, 10 computers and 11 digital projectors belonging to the Uni versity turned up missing. “There has certainly always been a problem with computers and laptops,” he said. “Projector thefts have definitely been a more recent problem. The num bers, nationally, have been higher.” University equipment thefts in past three years: 1999:4 PCs, 5 laptops, 2 digital projectors —$27,546 2000:9 PCs, 2 laptops, 0 projectors —$22,600 2001:7 PCs, 3 laptops, 11 projectors —$61,000 Hicks said this increase could be because more projectors were put into place in 2001, or they could have just become a popular item. He added that the department has received queries from colleges across the United States looking for ways to reduce the number of high-risk property thefts. Turn to Computer theft, page 6 University expects crunch in housing ■ Increased enrollment and demands for housing could lead to rates going up and quality going down By Brook Reinhard Oregon Daily Emerald The University has projected that 20,000 students are ex pected to attend the University this fall, and the high demand for housing and the lack of housing standards in Eugene means local landlords have more freedom to raise rates and cut costs. Students wanting the best places to live next year should start their search now, Duck’s Village Operations Manager Jean Robbins said. With the increased demand, complexes like Duck’s Village are considering about a 3 percent rate increase. Robbins be lieves students will pay the $5 to $10 monthly rent increase, and cites Duck’s Village’s 99.5 percent occupancy rate as proof of satisfied renters. Student leaders who have been working with the city to adopt a housing code are worried the extra demand will de crease property upkeep even further. “It’s like a domino effect,” said Megan Hughes, who is leading ASUO’s fight for city housing standards in Eugene, the biggest city in Oregon without a housing code. “Therb are more students looking for more houses, so students are Turn to Housing, page 5