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http://www.dailyemerald.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 15
Foreign student
information sent
to government
The information that the University’s Office of International
Programs sent to the Department of Homeland Security’s
database includes students’ home addresses and majors
By Ayisha Yahya
Reporter
The University's Office of International Programs spent much
time and effort to meet an Aug. 1 deadline to register all foreign
students into a new Department of I Iomeland Security system.
Data on international students were entered into the Student
and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, a centralized
database that allows the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services to track students' and visiting scholars' records and move
ments in and out of the country. The department implemented
the database for security reasons after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks. Two of the airplane hijackers in the terrorist attacks en
tered the country using student visas.
"It's taken a lot of work by the OIP staff to put the continuing stu
dents into SEVIS one-by-one," SEVIS Coordinator Peter Eberhardt said.
The international programs office closed for an entire week in May,
Turn to International, page 3
Legislature sees
longest session
in Oregon history
As of Friday, the state Legislature was in session a record
208 days; some state services face temporary shutdowns
if lawmakers do not resolve key political differences soon
By A. Sho Ikeda
Reporter
As students prepare for a new school year, Oregon legislators are
struggling to end their legislative session — the longest in state history.
With an unfinished state budget and little cooperation between
Republicans and Democratsfsome of Oregon's governmental
services may shut down if the legislature does not approve a
budget by the end of this month — a dire situation for lawmakers
and state agencies alike.
Turn to Legislature, page 4
Finding capital at the Capita
Lobbyists traveled to Salem on Monday, telling legislators
on behalf of ASUO to consider college students when
hashing out the current biennium’s embattled budget
By A. Sho Ikeda
Reporter
Like a quarterback huddling with his team before a big
play, Gabe Kjos went over the day's hectic schedule with his
fellow ASUO lobbyists.
Kjos and other student representatives were in Salem on
Monday to talk to state lawmakers on behalf of ASUO.
Their goal: to deliver the message that college students
want their voices heard.
Kjos is the ASUO legislative associate and one of the stu
dents behind the UO Lobby Day, an event where Universi
ty students were given the opportunity to inform Oregon
legislators about their concerns.
The event marked the beginning of a new campaign to
remind legislators to remember college students when de
termining the state budget for the biennium.
The current session of the Oregon Legislature is the
longest in the state's history, and has been plagued by po
litical differences and a fiscal crisis. Many of the state's in
stitutions face budget cuts, including higher education.
ASUO's "Don't Cut Us Out" campaign focuses on legis
lators who have a voice on issues involving revenue
throughout the state and on campus, Kjos said.
"Students are being cut out of the budget," Kjos said.
"We're trying to get student voices in the budget process."
A small entourage of six ASUO representatives met with
several legislators Monday, including House Speaker Karen
Minnis, R-Wood Village, and Senate President Peter Court
ney, D-Salem. Ihe students discussed issues such as the ris
ing cost of higher education and access to financial aid.
Shannon Tarvin, ASUO campus outreach coordinator, said
the student lobbyists shared personal stories with many of
the legislators. The group also gave die legislators many facts
and statistics to get their points across, she added.
"We are paying more tuition and getting back less,"
Tarvin said. "There are some students that are at risk of los
ing their education now."
Tarvin said the legislators who students lobbied were
very receptive. She added that the group received a "very
warm response" from Rep. Derrick Kitts, R-I lillsboro.
"He's still paying back student loans," Tarvin said. "So
he was sympathetic."
Program Finance Committee At-Dirge Toby Piering said
he was participating in the lobby day both as a PFC mem
A. Sho Ikeda Emerald
ASUO Legislative Associate Gabe Kjos talks higher education with
Rep. Pat Farr, R-Eugene. Kjos and other University students were
in Salem on Monday, lobbying on behalf of students.
ber and a student.
"My tuition can go up just like anyone else's," Piering said.
Rep. Pat Pan-, R-Eugene, said he understood what ASUO
lobbyists were trying to accomplish because he has children
attending Lewis & Clark and Lane Community colleges.
Kjos said he viewed UO Lobby Day as a chance for stu
dents to communicate with their elected leaders.
"We find ourselves being very successful," Kjos said. "At
the same time we need more students to fight and to find
out how powerful their voices are."
Contact the reporter at shoikeda@dailyemerald.com.
Community, Episcopal church react to gay bishop confirmation
The approval of the Church’s first
gay bishop has drawn fire, but a
local Episcopal reverend says gays
in his church are ‘fully accepted’
By Ayisha Yahya
Reporter
The Aug. 3 approval of Gene
Robinson, the Episcopal Church's first
openly gay bishop, has incited wide
spread controversy within the Church
and beyond. And while Christian
doctrine has traditionally advocated
against homosexuality, some are
questioning whether Robinson's elec
tion sig
nals a
change
in per
spective.
Nancy
Gal
lagher,
who has
been a mem
ber of the Eugene's MarkMattern
Episcopal Church of the «RT
Resurrection for nine years,
said she feels one can be close to God
and be a lesbian at the same time.
"Given the full context of the (bib
lical) teachings, there is no question
that we are all acceptable just as we
are," Gallagher said. She said Chris
tianity teaches that all people are cre
ated in the image of God, and that Je
sus Christ came to earth to unify and
reconcile mankind with their creator.
She said people could learn how to
unite by treating each other with cour
tesy and respect, adding that she feels
included at the church and rarely feels
out of place.
"There are times when I feel out of
place, but 1 think those have more to
do with being a feminist than being a
lesbian," she said.
She said differences in opinion re
lated to doctrine do arise, but human
beings do not agree on everything.
Nobody has expressed open opposi
tion to her because of her sexual ori
entation, she said.
Gallagher said there are lessons
within the sacred texts that all people
can agree on, such as the importance
of helping the poor.
But Robinson's election elicited
mixed reactions among Episco
palians. Those who opposed Robin
son's election believe the appoint
ment of a gay bishop would tear the
church apart, causing a rift between
more conservative members and
those who accepted the bishop.
Episcopal Church of the Resurrec
tion's Reverend Maron Van, who was
at the convention where Robinson
was elected, said the election drew
much debate.
“Ihe people who were not in favor
for a yes vote were in considerable pain
of their own," she said. " Ihe biggest
(reason against Robinson's election)
was that it would divide the church."
Others felt the decision was
long overdue.
Turn to Bishop, page 4
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