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Page 9
Wednesday, May 28,2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 162
Suicide spurs LGBT support
After Kyle Dalton Richmond’s
recent suicide, the community
has been raising awareness
of available resources for LGBT
Roman Gokhman
Campus/City Culture Reporter
As the school year draws to a close, there is
an increased feeling in the LGBT community
that the University campus is not a safe envi
ronment. At the same time, the community is
reaching out to make students aware of the
i
resources available to them.
Many people were disturbed by comments
made by Vincent Martorano in a guest com
mentary published in the Emerald (“Homosex
ual men should hide their disgusting acts,” May
9). And the recent suicide of University student
Kyle Dalton Richmond, who community mem
bers say was suffering from depression and was
questioning his sexual orientation, has gener
ated concern about the campus atmosphere for
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
Richmond, a resident of Junction City,
committed suicide May 15, and a memorial
service was held for him Thursday. According
to his mother, Richmond was severely de
pressed at least as far back as March and had
previously attempted to commit suicide. He
had also gone to the University Health Center
and was prescribed anti-depressants.
Elise Self, co-chairwoman of the local chap
ter of Parents, Families and Friends of Les
bians And Gays, specifically pointed to the
guest commentary published by the Emerald
earlier this month that she said could have
been one of many factors that contributed to
Turn to Suicide, page 7
Handing nver the torch
Rachel Pilliod closed her term
in office, and she prepared
Maddy Melton for presidency;
Melton’s term began Sunday
Jennifer Bear
Campus/Federal Politics Reporter
University junior Maddy Melton hasn’t
smoked a cigarette in 48 hours — it’s
been a rough beginning of her reign as
ASUO president.
Melton, along with Vice President Eddy
Morales and the 2003-04 ASUO staff, offi
cially took office Sunday, but they have
been preparing for the change the past few
weeks with the help of former staff mem
bers, by exchanging information, trading 4
tips and advice for getting work done and
learning the basics of working in the ASUO
office, including memorizing phone codes.
Rachel Pilliod, former ASUO president,
has been working to make Melton’s transi
tion as smooth as possible, bringing her
along to meetings with administrators and
giving Melton all of her old files and infor
mation. During the past few weeks, the two
student leaders have been collaborating on
work and attending important meetings
together, including a United States Stu
dent Association Board of Directors meet
ing in Wisconsin the weekend of the offi
cial transition. Pilliod said she didn’t want
to leave Melton with the same problems
that she once faced.
“I wasn’t really transitioned at all, and it
was like being hit with a Mack Truck,”
Pilliod said.
Pilliod said she has also tried to light
en Melton’s workload by finishing up the
establishment of all of the contracts
ASUO has with outside entities, such as
the agreement with Lane Transit District to
get students free bus fare. Only one con
tract remains for Melton to complete — the
agreement with the Emerald
on how many papers the
ASUO is willing to pay for
and at what price.
Other than completing
the contract with the Emerald, the only" thing
Melton said she really has to worry about is re
structuring the placement of staff members in
the ASUO office, setting the pace of her ad
ministration for the rest of the year and mak
ing executive appointments to various com
mittees within the University.
Turn to President, page 8
Photo illustration Emerald
Statistics
say drug
offenses
increased
According to DPS and Judicial
Affairs, the number of alcohol
and drug-related violations is
related to the month and term
Caron Alarab
Safety/Crime/Transportation Reporter
Since September, Department of Pub
lic Safety statistics have reflected signifi
cant increases in the number of liquor
and drug law violations on campus at
certain points during the academic year.
Although annual statistics show the
frequency of incidents has decreased
since 2001-02, Judicial Affairs Director
Chris Loschiavo says he has seen an in
crease in alcohol- and drug-related viola
tions on campus.
The Judicial Affairs office receives more
accurate statistics because residence hall
staff tend to contact complex directors in
stead of DPS, except in the case of more
severe violations, Loschiavo said.
“DPS just wouldn’t know about those
cases,” he said, adding that the current
Judicial Affairs statistics have yet to be
updated. “But we’ve definitely seen an
increase in incidents in my mind.”
According to annual liquor law statis
tics published by DPS, violations have
decreased by almost 10 percent since the
2001-02 school year, while annual drug
law statistics show a 20 percent increase
from last year. But Loschiavo persisted
that there has been an overall increase,
which he attributed to more student vio
lations, better DPS enforcement and an
increase in student complaints.
“Even though we have various campus
programs and community resources that
discourage the activities, there will al
ways be students who decide to go their
own way,” he said.
In the past nine months, DPS re
ceived 173 reports of liquor-law viola
tions on campus, 18 percent of which
occurred in October and 24 percent of
which occurred in February. Although
he didn’t speculate the cause for the
February statistics, Loschiavo said the
fall term numbers reflect violations
made by newer students.
“At that point in the year, it’s typical of
freshmen or first-year students to get
Turn to Crime, page 6
Emerald seeks professor, GTF of the year nominations
E-mail the paper by Sunday
with your name, major, favorite
professor and GTF and why
they deserve the award
Brook Reinhard
News Editor
It’s almost summer. It’s Week 9,
yet students still slavishly sit in
classes despite the sunny skies out
side. The textbooks often are hard
to read because there are so many
other things going on.
But before graduating, or coming
back for summer term or even an
other year at the University, stu
dents should take a few minutes to
remember their professors. You
know, the suit-clad scholars behind
the podiums in those 400-seat psy
chology classes? Well, they’re peo
ple too.
That’s why this year, the Emer
ald is sponsoring its own teacher of
the year contest. But we won’t de
cide who the best teacher is —
that’s your job.
Think back over your past four
years of classes. (Or the last year, if
you’re a lowly freshman.) What
professor has really stood out?
What professors really made things
interesting — insulted the smartass
who interrupted them or knew so
much about the course subject
they could have written (or did
write) the course text?
We’re not stopping at professors,
however. The Emerald also wants
to know about the best graduate
teaching fellow. They may earn less
pay and receive less respect than a
professor, but as professional stu
dents who’ll be spending the rest
of their lives in an ivory tower,
they deserve some recognition, as
well.
Here’s how to nominate a pro
fessor and a GTF:
• E-mail the Emerald at profes
sor@dailyemerald.com
• List your name
• List your major
Turn to Nominations, page 7
Photo illustration by Adelle Lennox Emerald
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