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-Oregon Daily Emerald
Commentary
Editor in Chief:
Michael J. Kleckner
Managing Editor:
Jessica Richelderfer
Editorial Editors:
Salena De La Cruz, Pat Payne
Thursday, November 21,2002
Editorial
(JO can increase
faculty salaries
if administrator
numbers are cut
The Oregonian on Sunday told a compelling story
about Paul Risser, now ex-president of Oregon State
University. Risser is leaving OSU after finding a job in his
home state of Oklahoma, one that pays 66 percent more
than his OSU salary.
Both the OSU president and University of Oregon
President Dave Frohnmayer receive salaries of more than
#150,000 per year, with #20,000 expense accounts. They
have their own homes, given gratis, as a perquisite for
serving as a university president. Even with all this, Riss
er and Frohnmayer have been the two lowest-paid uni
versity presidents in the West.
We would like to say that the salaries of presidents
and upper-lever administrators here should be raised*
especially when low pay could lead to an administra
tive brain drain. But in good conscience, we can’t. We
can’t because professors and faculty are chronically
underpaid at the same time as a top-heavy bureaucra
cy continues to add positions.
The average University professors salary is #62,000
per year, a figure that is skewed when law school salaries
are taken into account. And professors don’t get free
housing or expense accounts.
By way of comparison, professors throughout the
American Association of Universities make an average
of #77,000.
We find it disturbing that although we will be paying
higher tuition bills beginning winter term because of the
state’s budget crisis, the University sees no need to trim
the fat of the upper administration.
It is also disheartening for us to realize that this bu
reaucracy is not set up to serve the students, who pay ad
ministrators’ paychecks. How many people do we need
for marketing, communications, public relations and out
reach, anyway? Apparently, according to the University,
we need a whole division filled with them.
And then there’s Student Affairs Vice President Anne
Leavitt, whose department students deal with every day,
as it encompasses the EMU, University Housing, the Uni
versity Health Center, the Registrar, Academic Advising
and the Office of Student Life. Of the people she over
sees, one is an “associate vice president” and one is a
“vice provost.” The vice president of University Ad
vancement boasts 15 direct personnel — half of them
calling themselves vice president.
When budgets are tight, having a seemingly endless
parade of officers of administration is untenable. While
the University may need some marketing personnel,
those people cannot be more important and more nu
merous than the administrators dealing with students.
As soon as the proliferation of administrators is reined in
and faculty salaries are increased, we’ll be concerned
about the top administrator’s pay.
A bleed* battle
The Civil War game: a
legacy, a tradition, a battle, a
rivalry. Dating back to the
1894 season, Duck and
Beaver fans have been at
each others’ throats with a
fighting passion. The ques
tion of who will win the big
game is always disputed.
This year’s battle will be a
bloody one. For the first time
in its history, the competition
is not only about the game,
but also about saving lives.
For the 106th annual Civil
War, the two universities are
participating in the first an
nual Civil War Blood Drive
Rally, sponsored by the
alumni
associa
tions of
both
universi
ties.
Through
Wednes
d a y ,
' Sarah
dents, p ii
s,aff. Spellman
alumni Spin cycle
and
fans of each team are en
couraged to donate a pint of
blood in the name of their
team. The winner of the
competition will be an
nounced during the game
this weekend in Corvallis.
What an excellent idea. Ty
ing in a rivalry such as the one
between the University of
Oregon and Oregon State
University not only encour
ages fans to support their
team and their school, but
also encourages them to sup
port the good cause of donat
ing blood. It will also bring an
awareness of the constant
need for blood. I can only
hope this event continues and
grows from here.
According to the American
fefAvefcj,
ll^o
OWLVC*
Steve Baggs Emerald
Red Gross, there are seasonal
shortages of blood donations
during the summer and win
ter times due to vacationing
and holidays. So, what better
time than at the beginning of
the holiday season to boost
donation in our region?
The only problem is, what
happens when the drive is
over? When all the “glitz” and
“glam” of competition surpass
es and the winner has been an
nounced, how will donations
be then? Will people lose their
passion when it’s not for the
sake of competition?
I would be saddened if this
were the case.
Donating blood should be
done not for personal satis
faction, but simply because
donating of oneself is a
“good” thing to do. There is
a constant need for blood do
nations in this region, so this
act of kindness should not be
taken lightly.
Sadly, however, not every
one is eligible. Eligible donors
are at least 17 years of age and
weigh more than 110 pounds.
Upon arrival, donors will be
asked a series of confidential
questions to see if they fit the
criteria to donate. Among
those ineligible are people
who have received a tattoo
within the past 12 months,
those taking illegal drugs by
needle or those who have
lived in certain parts of Eu
rope for at least 6 months.
Many people, though, are
still eligible to donate, and
they should take advantage of
the opportunity. According to
the American Red Gross, only
five percent of those who are
eligible give blood. Think how
many lives could be saved if
the other 95 percent donated.
Blood donation has an ad
ditional benefit: testing. For
people afraid of seeing their
own doctor for blood tests,
the American Red Gross tests
each pint of blood donated.
Each donation of blood will be
tested for HIV, syphilis and
hepatitis, among other dis
eases, and the donor will be
contacted in cases of positive
test results.
The act of donating blood is
simple for those who are able.
In fact, it can take as little as
an hour to complete the
process. This simple deed can
save nearly three lives with
just one donation.
For those who missed the
deadline for this year’s Civil
War Blood Drive, don’t fret.
There is always next year.
And besides, donations are
accepted locally at any time
— the real winners are those
receiving this precious gift.
Contact the columnist at
sarahspellman@dailyemerald.com.
Her views do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
UO must ask ifKUGN ‘enhances’image
Guest commentary
Early this fall, a group of faculty be
gan discussing the University’s prob
lematic relation with KUGN-AM. We
shared this issue with equally con
cerned students and immediately in
formed the administration of our de
sire to discuss it. Last week, the first
of what was understood to be several
meetings was held to reach some res
olution of this complicated issue. But
late Friday, University President Dave
Frohnmayer issued a press release
that appears to abruptly terminate
that discussion.
I do not believe that the issue is as
simple as the president asserts. One
point of agreement is the hate-filled
character of KUGN broadcasts. Frohn
mayer deems them “disgraceful”;
KUGN’s own program manager calls
them “offensive.” The question is how to
respond. Let me present my own view
on the issue.
The president’s position rests on a
confusion. He correctly insists that the
University cannot manage speech or
take political positions. No one disagrees
with this. But the president confuses
this claim with a further one — that the
University can take no interest at all in
a station’s character when contracting
with it. Any concern with what “the
Voice of the Ducks” is attached to is a vi
olation of “free speech.”
This second principle cannot be right.
Believing it means that if a porno chan
nel offered the highest price for our
games, we would be bound by the First
Amendment to accept it. We would be
bound to proclaim “the Voice of the
Ducks” in between “Sex Court” and
“How to Cheat on Your Wife.” We would
be bound by political neutrality to run
pictures of our star athletes next to ads
for “Barnyard Fun.”
Frohnmayer’s views may commit him
to this. But then they are flatly at odds
with University practice over the past 30
years. During that time, the University
has periodically been asked to rent its
campus to movie companies and has al
ways based its decision on whether the
film’s content reflects well on the Uni
versity. No one has ever argued that the
First Amendment obliges us to rent our
campus to smut. Why does it oblige us
to rent our logo to hate?
It is important to keep in mind why
we have big-time sports in the' first'
place. Frohnmayer has repeatedly told
faculty that athletics and its broadcasts
serve to enhance the image of the Uni
versity as a whole.
Then surely it is appropriate to ask if
our current relation with KUGN serves
this goal, if that image is one opposed to
hatred and bigotry. Is KUGN really the
best venue for promoting our school
among young people of color, a group
that administrators say they want to at
tract — but which KUGN hosts consis
tently attack?
Some will point out that my parallel is
not exact, and they would be right. Deal
ing with KUGN is not exactly like deal
ing with a pom channel. But the con
verse holds too: Reassessing our relation
to KUGN is not exactly like infringing on
someone’s free speech.
A serious discussion of these matters
might proceed by seeking to balance our
concern for free speech with the very
real pain that members of this commu
nity feel when they forget to turn the
dial after the football game is over. I
hope that we can continue this dialogue.
Cheyney Ryan is a professor
in the philosophy department and a recipient
of the Uniyte^fcy's Chaf le* Johnson Award!
for the promotion offreedom of speech’. *