Watch the progress of the Lillis Business Complex
The Emerald is now posting updated pictures weekly of five
different views of the ongoing construction.
Click on “Construction” at www.dailyemerald.com
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Tuesday, July 16,2002
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 6
University studies possibility of new Mac Court
City councilors will soon examine one of the
proposed sites for a new indoor sports facility,
which would place the new arena in the vicinity
of the city’s new federal courthouse
By Brad Schmidt
Oregon Daily Emerald
The ball is now rolling on plans for a new, $100
million basketball facility to replace what Univer
sity officials call an aging and undersized
McArthur Court. One potential location has been
identified within close proximity to the new feder
al courthouse, a move some think could potentially
better link the University and downtown Eugene.
The University hopes to reach an agreement this
month with a contractor and begin work on a feasi
bility study that would, among other things, deter
mine whether the development of land from
Eighth Avenue to Broadway and Ferry to Hilyard
streets is possible.
Assistant Athletic Director Steve McBride called
the site “intriguing” and said he hopes to see the
study begin in early August. Conclusions could be
reached by the University as early as this fall, Vice
President for Administration Dan Williams said.
“We have known for a long time that the days of
McArthur Court are numbered,” Williams said.
Even with University interest, however, city
councilors will make the final decision about the
eventual development of the land. More than likely,
Turn to Development, page 3
i
Sixth Ave.
Seventh Ave.
Eighth Ave.
r
East Broadway
10th Ave
Scott Abts Emerald
t
Now in its final
stages of
construction,
the new
Autzen
Stadium will
host an
estimated
crowd of more
than 54,000
spectators.
Home field advantage
Autzen Stadium’s renovation will have an
effect on game attendance, crowd noise,
and the availability of student tickets
By Brad Schmidt
Oregon Daily Emerald
Two days into his newly-found employment,
electrical worker Paul Clemmer’s sturdy, 6-foot
3-inch frame shows signs of wear and tear.
His green T-shirt is faded, most likely a result
of the blaring-hot sun that looms overhead. Tears
and rips litter the front side of his baggy shirt. His
blue jeans are dusty and the knees are wearing
thin, showing a washed-out white fabric that will
soon give way to holes.
Sweat rolls off his tanned forehead in the after
noon heat as he stands outside of his black and
gray 1978 Chevrolet El Camino, recalling the day.
Beginning at 6 a.m. each day, Clemmer arrives at
Autzen Stadium to begin his work running con
duit. Ten-hour days are nothing new to Clemmer,
who has worked construction for more than 20
Turn to Autzen, page 8
Farmworker coalition marches for unionization
The group, which participates in the
annual Walk for Farmworker Justice,
seeks solidarity of workers and the right
to collectively bargain with employers
By Jillian Daley
Oregon Daily Emerald
For the second year in a row, farmworkers
and supporters marched in the Walk for
Farmworker Justice.
Saturday morning, the Farmworker Justice
Coalition traveled to local fields and per
formed skits to show solidarity with farm
workers, supporting their interest in unioniz
ing. Unionization would give the workers the
right to collectively bargain with the growers
who employ them and the corporations to
whom the growers sell. In the afternoon, the
group went to a housing development for
farmworkers called New Dawn.
“Whatever problems (farmworkers) face are
best solved when they are empowered,”
Farmworker Justice Coalition Chairman Rev.
Dan Bryant said. “And that is best achieved
by open bargaining.”
Other groups like La Causa, Inc., Oregon
AFL-CIO, and Pineros y Campesinos Unidos
del Noroeste (Northwest Treeplanters and
Farmworkers United) also helped organize
the walk and are members of the Farmworker
Justice Coalition.
Founded in 1985, PCUN fights for farm
worker rights and is the largest Latino organi
zation in Oregon. PCUN seeks to raise aware
ness among workers and to establish a union.
The group plans to hold a vote for the farm
workers to decide whether the workers want
to be represented by a union.
“If the majority decide, then the growers
will have to negotiate in good faith with the
workers,” said Erik Nicholson, PCUN coordi
nator for the collective bargaining committee.
In addition to rallying farmworkers, PCUN
TumtoM^rch,page3
Federal loan
interest rates
see lowest
levels ever
The interest rates on Stafford and
PLUS loans fell to record lows July
8, which will affect both current
and former students
By Jan Montry
Oregon Daily Emerald
Current and former students who
have put off consolidating their federal
student loans may be glad to hear there
is still hope for a low interest rate.
Interest rates on Stafford and PLUS
loans fell to record lows July 8, benefit
ing students who still have variable-rate
loans and leaving those with consoli
dated loans paying a higher rate than
new consolidators.
Rates for Stafford loans taken out af
ter July 1, 1998, are now the lowest,
dropping to 3.46 percent from 5.39 per
cent. Loans disbursed between July 1,
1995, and June 30, 1998, dropped to
4.26 percent from 6.19 percent.
PLUS loan rates on money borrowed
on or after July 1,1998, dropped to 4.86
percent from 6.79 percent. Loans dis
bursed between July 1, 1994, and June
30, 1998, dropped to 5.23 percent from
6.56 percent.
Financial aid director Elizabeth
Bickford said she was very happy that
the interest rates are lowering for fed
eral loans.
“It will definitely help students and
certainly help parents (with loans),”
she said.
Unfortunately, the new rates will
only affect students who are still in
school and haven’t started repay
ment. Also, new rates won’t affect
students who have already consoli
dated their loans.
According to University Direct Loan
Coordinator Kyna Burgett, there are a
few downsides to consolidation. For in
stance, those who already have consoli
dated loans will not be able to take ad
Turn to Loans, page 3