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A fast year/Page io
Tuesday, December 3,2002
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 66
UO vote could test war opinion, senate power
Some faculty members are pushing
for the University Senate to vote
on a resolution opposing war in Iraq
Brook Reinhard
News Editor
Professors at the University stand poised to
vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning
the U.S. government’s steady march toward
war in Iraq if the University Senate decides it
can even discuss the issue.
If passed, the non-binding resolution pro
posed by biology Professor Emeritus Frank
Stahl opposing aggression in Iraq would be the
senate’s first official stance on war since May
6,1970, when the Faculty Senate voted to con
demn the Vietnam War. A resolution would
also position the senate as the first governing
body at any U.S. college to take a stand against
war efforts, according to a newspaper database
search.
The issue will be discussed at the senate’s 3
p.m. meeting in the EMU Fir Room only if the
group decides the resolution is relevant to the
University or its interests. University President
Dave Frohnmayer, who was unavailable for
comment this week, wrote in an e-mail to
Stahl that he doesn’t think the senate should
take a stance on the issue.
“It is not the place of this University to be
captured by any one political voice; instead,
this University should be the place of open
exploration,” he said of Stahl’s proposed
resolution.
Stahl said whether or not the senate consid
ers the resolution will clearly show if the group
has any real power.
“At the very least, it should be an education
al exercise — and it may set a precedent that
limits the power of the (University) Senate,”
he said.
Senate President Greg McLauchlan said
while he would not predict an outcome of the
Wednesday meeting, some members have in
dicated that they don’t feel a vote on this issue
Turn to Faculty, page 8
Caution: children at play
The national
Public Interest
Research Group
warns parents and
consumers to
beware of toys
sold in stores that
may be dangerous
foryoung children.
Adam Amato Emerald
Protecting the future
Watchdogs and local merchants
alike are concerned about the
perennial troubles of toy safety
Jody Burruss
Environment/Science/Technology Reporter
As the holiday season approaches,
many shoppers will buy children’s
toys as gifts. The national Public In
terest Research Group’s 17th annual
Trouble in Toyland report, however,
again warns consumers of hazardous
toys that are being sold in stores de
spite safety laws.
PIRG, the national parent organi
zation of the Oregon Student Public
Interest Research Group, has pub
lished yearly reports, resulting in
more than 100 recalls. Locally, OS
PIRG is bolstering the campaign by
helping to raise public awareness.
The report focuses on toys that
may cause hearing loss or choking
and toys that contain phthalates,
chemicals in some plastics that
cause health problems. The report
Turn to Toys, page 8
Adversarial’
radio hosts
draw critics,
supporters
Right-leaning talk radio hosts draw criticism
from many, but their defenders say radio
is the only real media outlet for conservatives
Jennifer Bear
Campus/City Culture Reporter
The broadcasting of Michael Savage and Michael
Medved’s shows on KUGN-AM has rankled several Univer
sity groups over the past few weeks, but the two hosts are
only a small part of the swarm of right-leaning, adversarial
air jockeys who dominate national talk radio, broadcasting
experts say.
The top five talk radio hosts in the nation are right-of
center and well-known for their controversial shows. Ac
cording to TALKERS, a trade publication for the talk radio
industry, Rush Limbaugh ranks first, followed by Sean Han
nity, with Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Howard Stern tied for
third. In fifth place is Michael Savage.
“There’s definitely a tilt toward conservatives in talk ra
dio,” said John Dinges, director of radio at the Graduate
School of Journalism at Columbia University.
A1 Stavitsky, associate dean of the School of Journalism
and Communication at the University, said the right-lean
ing slant isn’t new.
“This is the way talk radio has been since it took hold,”
Stavitsky said. “It’s a fairly conservative industry overall.”
He added that talk radio encourages hosts to be outra
geous and adversarial in order to focus attention on them
selves and reach national syndication.
“Calm, collected discourse is less likely to attract big rat
ings in commercial radio,” Stavitsky said.
There was a time, however, when radio stations were re
quired to give equal time and attention to controversial mat
ters from different political viewpoints. The Federal Com
munications Commission used the Fairness Doctrine to
ensure that broadcasters fulfilled their obligations to serve
Turn to Radio, page 12
■ Weather | W:S£§Mk;:
Today: High 50, low 33
morning fog, partly sunny
Wednesday: High 47, Low 35
cloudy, chance of light rain
Looking ahead
Wednesday
Ducks react to postseason chaos
while waiting for word on bowl
1 Thursday ||Bi|||||J|i|:
ASUO works to secure a housing
code for the city of Eugene
ASUO shifts voting focus to Measure 28
ASUOs Get Out the Vote
campaign is set to inform
students about a new
education funding measure
Jan Montry
Campus/Federal Politics Reporter
After running a successful voter
registration campaign for the No
vember elections, the ASUO con
tinues its program to educate stu
dents about political issues. In the
Jan. 28 special election, voters
will decide the fate of Measure 28
— an income tax increase — that
was referred from the Oregon
Legjslathfd’^ SumAibf- sdsfefo’ns.
ASUO officials plan to meet
this week to discuss the continua
tion of their Get Out the Vote
campaign and decide how to best
educate students about both
sides of the issue.
“We really want to let students
know how the measure will affect
them,” said Adam Petkun, the
ASUO state affairs coordinator.
“No matter what the outcome,
this is an opportunity for (stu
dents) at the statewide level to
show we care about tuition.”
ASUO Legislative Associate
Stefan Myers concurred.
“Whether we vote yd$\*PrV
whether we vote no, it’s terribly
important that students turn out
for the election,” Myers said
Both Petkun and Myers, who
have been leading the ASUO’s
Get Out the Vote campaign this
year, also stressed that high stu
dent turnout is vital for lobbying
in Salem because legislators pay
attention to student concerns
when they see that students vote.
If passed, Measure 28 would in
crease income taxes for three
years, generating a total of #725
million though 2005.
Specifically, taxes for personal
Vhd Mot filings would iheroa^e’
one half of one percent, resulting
in an increase of #114 for the av
erage personal income taxpayer
in 2002. Corporate taxes would
increase by 0.33 percent.
The Oregon Student Associa
tion estimates that students
falling into the “$10,000 or less”
income bracket — most of whom
work part time — would see
“little to no” change in state
income taxes.
If the measure fails, a tuition
surcharge of $10 per credit for
winter and spring terms would be
instituted to help abate the result
Y. TufntoASUO, page12