Wednesday, January 22,2003
Since 1900
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 82
Research
supports
wider use
ofRU486
Women’s Health researchers
will deliver a report to the public,
urging national policy makers to
reconsider their view on RU-486
Aimee Rudin
Family/Health/Education Reporter
University researchers are joining a
growing crowd urging national policy
makers and legislators to rethink their
stance on RU-486, also called medical
abortion, in the coming months.
The FDA approved RU-486 in Septem
ber 2000. However, doctors have been re
luctant to back the procedure. Women’s
Health researchers at the University’s
Center for the Study of Women in Soci
ety have completed their report titled Un
derstanding Medical Abortion: Policy,
Politics, and Women’s Health and plan to
Turn to Abortion, page 4
University
hears fears
about plan
for growth
Many students living in the East
Campus area voiced concerns
Friday about the University’s
long-term development plan
Aimee Rudin
Family/Health/Education Reporter
Moving day will come sometime this
year for many residents east of the Uni
versity. The only question is when.
The University Advisory Planning
Committee met in a public hearing in the
EMU Fir Room on Friday morning to de
termine revisions to the University’s
long-term development plan for the East
Campus area.
Concerned by the lack of notification
many of her neighbors received before
Turn to East campus, page 3
Forum looks at Iraq, UO stance
Tuesday night’s discussion
examined issues on Iraq,
addressed UO position on
a potential war in the area
Brad Schmidt
News Editor
Faculty members spoke about
the University and the potential for
war in Iraq at a mediated forum
Tuesday night that fostered open
discussion but also briefly touched
on the issue of whether the Univer
sity will adopt a formal position ad
vocating or opposing war.
History Professor Daniel Pope,
one of five speakers during the
two-hour forum, openly stated his
beliefs that the University should
decry the imminent Middle East
ern war, but University President
Dave Frohnmayer said such a re
sponse is not within the jurisdic
tion of the Faculty Senate or the
University itself.
“The question is whether or not
in an organized commission or fo
rum speaking for and on behalf of
the people of the state of Oregon —
because we are a state agency —
(does) the University (have) that
authority?” Frohnmayer said. “I
say it does not. The counsel that
advises me says it does not.”
Earlier this month, Oregon State
University’s Faculty Senate chose
to adopt an anti-war stance, and
some in the audience attended the
forum with the hope of a similar
University response.
“Now that OSU passed it, it looks
more possible that it will happen
here,” senior Terra Gloyes said.
Pope later responded to Frohn
mayer’s comments, stating a need
to form a stance on the issue be
cause of the significance a war
could have on the University
community.
“While there may not be many
Turn to Iraq, page 8
A road fit for King
Centennial Boulevard may
soon take the name of
celebrated civil rights
activist Martin Luther King Jr.
Jan Montry
City/State Politics Reporter
Civil rights leader Martin
Luther King Jr. may soon have a
home among Eugene’s streets and
boulevards.
Efforts by the county and the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People to
rename Centennial Boulevard to
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
recently advanced to the city level
after a motion passed Jan. 13.
The motion, which the Eugene
City Council unanimously ap
proved, allowed the proposed
name change to move forward.
The process may be lengthy,
however, because changing street
names involves work by the city’s
Planning Commission, feedback
from private property owners and
compliance with city and state laws.
“I'm assuming it is going to hap
pen, given the unanimous support
of (the City) Council in going for
ward,” said Ward 1 City Councilor
Bonny Bettman.
Bettman added that the county,
city and University — all of whom
own much of the property along
Centennial—support the plan.
“We have, I think, support of the
key players,” Bettman said. “I
don’t foresee any obstacles that
would get in the way.”
If passed, the new proposal
would change Centennial’s name
V
__
Eugene City
Council
members and
the NAACP
are working
to rename
Centennial
Boulevard to
Martin Luther
King Jr.
Boulevard
with support
from the
Eugene
community.
Jeremy Forrest
Emerald
in Eugene. The street would keep
its current name in Springfield.
But County Commissioner Bob
by Green said Springfield was wel
come to join the effort.
“If the Springfield City Council is
interested in being a part of it they
just need to let us know,” he said.
Green added that the plan has
been discussed at the policy level in
both city and county governments.
“Right now we’re in the stage of
making sure the city is going
through the appropriate proce
dures,” he said.
City and county officials also
plan to concentrate their efforts
and rename the street before the
NAAGP convenes its national con
ference in March.
City Councilor David Kelly,
Ward 3, said place names can
remind us of our past.
“Martin Luther King was an in
spirational, powerful and positive
leader in our history,” he said. “So
if the (City) Council action can, in
a very small way, remind people of
that history, then we’ve done a
very good thing.”
Contact the senior news reporter
at janmontry@dailyemerald.com.
Polls show increase in Measure 28 support
Two recent polls show nearly half
of surveyed voters are in support
of Measure 28, an increase that may
be the result of media coverage
Oregon votes 2003
Brad Schmidt
News Editor
Support for Measure 28 is at an all-time high
and, according to polls, the three-year temporary
tax increase could pass come Jan. 28.
When Oregon’s Legislature referred the >5724
million bill to voters after the fifth special session of
2002, many speculated it would not gamer support
and most political analysts questioned whether
Measure 28
A 10-part series
examining the
budget implications
of the Jan. 28
special election.
Oregon voters would
bear an income tax in
crease during a
statewide recession.
But according to a
poll conducted by the
University for The
Register-Guard, 46
percent of the 409 surveyed voters said they
would support the measure. Thirty-five percent
said they would not support the tax increase, and
19 percent of voters remained undecided.
Portland news station KATU conducted a simi
lar survey, which showed an even split on Measure
28. Forty-eight percent of the 402 voters polled in
dicated they would vote yes, 48 percent said they
would vote no, and four percent were undecided.
Bach poll has a margin of error of plus or minus
4.8 percentage points.
Proponents of the measure are enthused by
the upswing in support, while opponents of the
tax increase nervously look toward election day.
Nonetheless, people on both sides of the issue
point to the media as a focal point for increased
support.
“It’s really been a full-court press,” said Joel
Bloom, a research assistant at the Oregon Sur
vey Research Laboratory, where The Register
Guard study was conducted. “I don’t think the
media (are) biased, I think it just makes for a good
story.”
Jason D. Williams, executive director of the
Taxpayer Association of Oregon, is a bit more
critical of the media, however.
“For us, it’s a perfect storm of three components
Turn to Measure 28, page 8
Weather
Today: High 53, Low 40,
occasional rain, slight wind
Thursday: High 52, Low 42,
cloudy, chance of showers
Looking ahead
Thursday
As the Oscars approach,
a look at 2002's movies
Friday
Campus crime statistics and
trends really will be revealed