University, Lane County seek federal assistance
■A state agency is deciding
whether windstorm damage
will require federal aid for repairs
By John Liebhardt
Oregon Daily Emerald
Falling trees, flying branches and crashing
debris from the Feb. 7 windstorm caused at
least $60,000 in damage to the University,
according to preliminary reports.
The report is part of a claim the Univer
sity — along with other Lane County agen
cies — will make to Oregon Emergency
Management in hopes of convincing Gov.
John Kitzhaber to ask for federal assistance.
OEM is a state agency that plans and pre
pares for disasters and attempts to manage
those disasters once they hit the state.
Linda Cook, emergency management su
pervisor for Lane County, said OEM is cur
rently “number crunching” and should give
Lane County its decision within the next
two weeks. If the OEM board decides The
storm requires federal assistance, it will be
left up to Kitzhaber to attempt to convince
federal authorities.
Representatives for the OEM board could
not be contacted by press time.
George Hecht, director of Campus Opera
tions, said the University moved quickly to
document physical destruction and tally
the damages.
“We will give them a pretty good picture of
what was going on after the storm,” he said.
Tom Fitzpatrick, director of public safety
on campus, said his office has met with
state and federal officials twice since the
storm and expects to see federal officials
again within the next week to 10 days.
Don’t expect any decisions soon, he said.
“We’ll be working through this thing over
next several weeks, if not months,” he said.
The damage report claims the Universi
ty will have to spend $40,000 to replace 14
fallen mature trees and $20,000 to repair
broken windows and damaged roofs
caused by flying branches and other de
bris. Some of the damages include patch
ing 20 holes in the roof of the Robinson
Theatre and repairing part of the Many Na
tions Longhouse roof. Also, wind blew off
two doors on the south side of Prince Lu
cien Campbell and shattered two windows
in Lawrence Hall.
The windstorm, bearing 70 mph gusts,
downed trees and hurtled broken branch
es through area windows and roofs as it
descended on the Eugene-Springfield
area. The damage was so quick and severe
that the Eugene Water and Electric Board
could not restore power to some Eugene
areas, including the neighborhood direct
ly west of the University, for nearly
72 hours.
EWEB announced that it incurred more
than $1.5 million in damages from the
storm, including broken poles, power lines,
electric substations damage and overtime,
according to EWEB spokesman
Lance Robertson.
Operations manager Ron Bloom said 20
people worked until 10 p.m. Thursday night
to clear pathways and fallen trees. At least
10 of those workers returned at 4:00 a.m. the
next morning and worked through
the weekend.
“We don’t plan for anything like that in
40 years,” he said. “These kinds of things
are impossible to predict.” %
Bloom said his department has nearly fin
ished cutting and removing the fallen trees.
While the wet ground is their only remain
ing obstacle, operations hopes to reuse the
wood for remodeling projects around cam
pus such as replacing doors, walls and
building cabinets in different buildings.
$20,000 needed
for repair of
windows and
damaged roofs
$40,000 needed to
replace 14 mature
trees
Scott Abts Emerald
“We try to do as much as possible to recy
cle the wood,” Bloom said.
Storm damage
University officials report the Feb. 7 wind storm
caused an estimated $60,000 in damage.
Source: Office of Communications
E-mail community editor John Liebhardt
atjohnliebhardt@dailyemerald.com.
Watari
continued from page 1
High School on the way to a birth
day party. Thetofficers were fol
lowing up on an investigation of a
high school shooting several
weeks before involving a group of
Asians, she said.
“They told us to get out of the car
and join the lineup,” Watari said.
“I’m from the suburbs. I didn’t real
ize these kinds of things happen!”
Years later, Watari paved the
way for the formation of the Ore
gon Students of Color Coalition, a
group of students from the seven
OUS schools, Lane Community
College, Rogue Community Col
lege and Oregon Health & Science
University who advocate greater
access to higher education for stu
dents of color.
She served as co-chairwoman of
the group.
“She pushed that program to get
it started,” Simas said. “And it
found its place last year.”
So did Watari.
Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed
her in June to a spot on the State
Board; her term expires in June
2003. The board, composed of
nine members appointed to four
year terms and two student mem
bers who serve two-year terms,
sets tuition costs and adjusts
funding for OUS schools, among
other duties.
“It is a huge challenge,” Watari
said. “At first it seemed
overwhelming.”
Diane Vines, OUS vice chancel
lor for corporate and public affairs,
said she has watched Watari mature
quickly in her first year from a quiet
observer to an active participant.
“As I got to know her, I appreci
ated her willingness to do her
homework and research issues the
board is dealing with,” Vines said.
“She would not just go along with
the majority. She became more of
her own person.”
Watari was the only member to
vote against the State Board search
committee’s process to select a re
placement for OUS Chancellor Joe
Cox, who is retiring. Watari be
lieved the selection process was
too exclusive and that students
and faculty should offer more in
put earlier in the process. Vines
said Watari ultimately had to com
promise with the board.
“It was not everything she want
ed,” Vines said. “Whether you
agree with her or not, her willing
ness to stand up and push on that
was important. The board grew
Erin Watari, State Board
Year: Senior
School: Southern Oregon University
Hometown: Gresham, Oregon
Position: Appointed to serve a two-year term
as a student member of the state board that sets
tuition costs and adjusts funding for OUS schools,
among otherduties
On the fob: “It’s a huge challenge. At first it seemed
overwhelming.”
WATARI
stronger because of that.”
And Watari grew stronger — but
not just in her professional life.
This weekend she was at her home
in Gresham being strong with and
for her family. Her grandfather
Dean Nixon, 79, died of cancer on
Valentine’s Day.
“Grandpa used to take me to
their cabin on the coast,” Watari
said. “That’s where I learned to
drive — on a riding lawnmower.
We would eat TV dinners togeth
er. But my grandmother is still
with me.”
Her passion for politics is also
still with her. She hopes to one day
work full-time as a public servant,
though she isn’t quite sure in
which sector.
Fellow student board member
Tim Young, who also was a vocal
critic of the chancellor selection
process, said Watari could succeed
anywhere.
“She is the smartest, most pas
sionate person I’ve ever known,”
he said. “She really cares about
what she does.”
E-mail reporter Eric Martin
at ericmartin@dailyemerald.com.
013524
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender
Join us for an informal panel of law school
admissions, advising and LGBT law
students to learn about resources and the
process of applying and attending law
school as an LGBT individual. The panel
will offer resources to help find a college
that is LGBT friendly and right for you,
how to apply, and what to do once accepted.
Ben Linder Room, EMU
Wednesday 27th. 5-7 p.m.
ENTOR Program
http://uocareeruoregon.edu/mentor
Spnnq 2002 Edition
JOB INSIGHT:
"Here's what the job is
rea//yhke..."
SPRING 2002 CLASSES:
ALL MAJORS (PPPM 41 d).10-11:50 M
BA 410. 2-3:50 U
ENG 408 . 2-3:50 H
ENVS 407 . .. 10-11:20 U
J 399 .. 6-7:20 H
SOC 410. 2-3:50 W
Bl 407.10-11:50 H
PHYS 408 . 10-11:50 H
CH 408.10-11:50 H
EMS 408.10-11:50 H
Your mentors are waiting. What would you
ask two professionals in your dream careers?
Through a REVEALING interview, learn
SHOCKING industry information, hear
mentors' EXCITING experience and gain
INSIDE advice. You will also create a
PERSONAL resume and earn upper division
credit. Check the Schedule of Classes,for
EXCLUSIVE registration information!
STUDENT TRAVEL
s YOUR
London.$491
Brussels.......$470 BUDGET HOTELS
Paris.$502 far as ,itt,e as
Los Angeles.$218
New York.$298
Seattle.$98 ANIGHT!!!
Fares are round-trip from Eugene,
lestrictions may apply. Tax not included.
ror as lime as
$18
TRAVEL
.0112
www.statravel.com