An independent newspaper
http://www.dailyemerald.com
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 25
The complaint/allegation filed against
officer Michael Bonertz in the... case
has been thouroughly investigated. This
complaint/allegation has been classified as:
2L Misconduct Found—a preponderance of evidence suggests that specific directives were
: violated that subject the employee to progressive discipline up to and including possibility of
: termination.
SOURCE: Department of Public Safety
DPS: Officer committed misconduct
The University and DPS may face
legal recourse following the incident
By Jared Paben
News Reporter
The Department of Public Safety has conclud
ed that the officer who struck a fleeing bicyclist
with his vehicle on July 21 committed depart
mental misconduct according to internal docu
ments obtained by the Emerald.
■ The report indicates that 25-year-old Michael
John Bonertz, who resigned from the depart
ment on July 31, willfully chose to break numer
ous rules and regulations, and subjected the
University and DPS to possible legal recourse.
"Officer Bonertz('s) probable cause for begin
ning the pursuit and actions reflects lack of aware
ness regarding not only policy but also the poten
tial liability he subjected the department and
University to in his actions," the report states.
Bonertz could not be reached for comment; a
call to his listed home phone number instead
reached American Family Insurance.
The seven-page investigation is based mostly
on a July 30 interview with Bonertz, conducted
by Administrative Lt. Joan Saylor, and it details
the early morning hours of July 21.
Bonertz said he was patrolling campus at 3:30
a m. when he saw two men, Donald Tean
Gariepy and Troy Emmanuel Torris, performing
stunts on their bikes. For the next 20 to 30 min
utes, DPS officers exchanged radio messages re
garding the location and direction of the two
men, and one officer noted that the subjects
were playing "cat and mouse" with the officers.
Bonertz said he attempted to stop the men be
cause he saw them "craning their necks" to look
in windows while riding near Lawrence Hall.
When Bonertz tried to stop the individuals, they
gave him an "'Oh crap' look, like they had been
caught doing something." In retrospect, Bonertz
speculated that was partly because they had
been performing tricks on their bikes — a cam
pus offense.
Bonertz said he drove on the sidewalk — pos
sibly reaching speeds of up to 15 mph as he fol
lowed Gariepy at a distance of less than five feet
— in order to "keep up with him."
Bonertz said he then tried to "cut off" Gariepy
but instead struck the man, throwing Gariepy off
of his bicycle and into a nearby flower bed.
Gariepy, 26, suffered abrasions on his cheek and a
bloody nose.
Turn to DPS, page 20
ARTISTIC VIEWPOINT
Adam Amato Photo Editor
Springfield resident and Craft Center veteran Karl Hirth works in the ceramics department of the Craft Center on Wednesday.
A Crafting
Endeavor
The Craft Center has been
offering classes ranging
from ceramics to bicycle
maintenance for 30 years
By Natasha Chilingerian
Pulse Reporter
Many students may be busy han
dling school supplies this fall, but they
can always take a break to exchange
their mechanical pencils and three
ring binders for more creative endeav
ors in the Craft Center.
Located in the lower level of the
EMU's East Wing, the Craft Center of
fers year-round workshops for jewelry
making, metalsmithing, woodwork
ing, ceramics, sculpture, fiber arts,
photography, paper arts, painting,
drawing and bicycle maintenance. The
workshops are non-for-credit and are
open to anyone.
Craft Center assistant coordinator
Laura Gerards has been working at
what she calls "the most fun place on
campus" for 11 years. She has taught
Turn to CRAFTS, page 5
Acceptance rate
decreases at UO
The University rejected 1,400 applicants this
year; a 20 percent increase from last year
By Chuck Slothower
News Reporter
High school students often receive University recruitment pam
phlets picturing students laughing, studying and even strumming
guitars on the lawn; always under sunny skies.
But that's not the reality for Sachel Digel.
The 20-year-old Portland resident has been rejected twice for ad
mission to the University.
Digel's story isn't unique — the Office of Admissions is rejecting
more students this year. For fall 2003, more than 1,400 applicants
were rejected for undergraduate admission, an increase of more
than 20 percent from last year.
Digel, meanwhile, has decided to attend Mount I lood Commu
nity College in Portland for the time being.
"It's not really a college experience," Digel said. "Mount 1 lood
doesn't have a campus life."
Admissions decisions are affected by limited capacity, limited
funding and die University's constant drive to improve its academic
reputauon.
"Our charge as an institution right now is to stabilize enrollment
at between 20 and 21,000," said Martha Pitts, director of admissions.
"We reached 20,000 three years before we thought we would."
Funding is also "absolutely" an issue in admissions decisions, ac
cording to Pitts.
While the University is a state insdtution that must provide for
Oregon residents, it also needs the comparative financial windfall
that out-of-state students bring in.
Last year we had more than 1,000 students for whom we re
ceived no state funding at all," Pitts said. "And that becomes a chal
lenge for us."
While the number of rejected students rose dramatically from fall
2002 to fall 2003, the percentage of rejected applicants who were
Oregon residents held steady at 46 percent.
"The University is a state institution and has a strong commit
ment to teaching students from Oregon," said Pitts. "But that is
difficult when per-student funding has remained flat over the last
six years."
As the University strives to improve its academic reputation, few
er and fewer students with low grades are getting in. The group of
Turn to ADMISSIONS, page 6
WEATHER
LOW
48
HIGH
76
INSIDE
Campus buzz.6
Classifieds.18-19
Commentary..2
Crossword.19
Nation & World.3
Sports.15
NEXT ISSUE
ASUO leaders
Maddy and Eddy
size up the
new year