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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 2003)
An independent newspaper http://www.dailyemerald.com The Deal’ disappears amid cuts in funding The plan to diffuse the cost of attending OUS schools has been abandoned in favor of a strategy of fiscal survival By A. Sho Ikeda Senior News Reporter A proposal the Oregon University Sys tem created last fall to help spread the cost of higher education among students, uni versities and legislators has disappeared af ter the state fiscal crisis last summer threat ened budget cuts around Oregon. Students and higher education officials had high hopes for "The Deal," which would have established an agreement be tween OUS and the state whereby students would pay up to 50 percent of higher edu cation costs, and the state covering the oth er half of the costs. The agreement would not have set limits on tuition, however. With OUS receiving $62.7 million less from state funds than in the previous bi ennium — the University alone is receiv ing about $14.5 million less — the sys tem's officials have focused less on the long term financial goals outlined in the deal and more on fiscal survival. It has al ready been estimated that students will pay 64 percent of the total cost of educa tion during the 2003-05 biennium, ac cording to the OUS Web site. OUS Chancellor Richard Jarvis said the deal is no longer a priority and OUS is now focusing on a "survival strategy." "We're doing the best we can because the state revenue picture just kept getting Turn to DEAL, page 4 UO continues hunt for diversity provost This week, students can meet the latest candidate seeking to fill the new position of vice provost for diversity By Chelsea Duncan News Reporter The search for a vice provost for insti tutional equity and diversity continues as groups and departments on campus that will work with the new administrator wait expectantly for a decision. Students can meet the latest candidate for the position, Gregory J. Vincent of Louisiana State University, Thursday at 3 p.m. in the EMU Century Room E. He will also be at a campus and community reception on Friday at 4 p.m. in the Bow erman Building's Heritage Hall. If hired, Vincent would be responsible for providing leadership for University equity and diversity matters for faculty, staff and students. I le would also work closely with University programs that fo cus on diversity issues, and support affir mative action and human resource oper ations. The decision to create the position came a few years ago when students told the administration that it lacked a focus on diversity initiatives. "The emphasis for this position actual ly came from students," Senior Vice Presi dent and Provost John Moseley said, adding that the administration agreed the position is important. A search committee was formed in September 2002, and the administration reviewed three candidates in the spring and one during the summer. Vincent, the fifth candidate, is currently being re Tum to PROVOST, page 3 Gregory J. Vincent Provost candidate Doing it their way Tim Bobosky Photographer Kimberly Gwynne, 34, and David Watson, 38, are busy with their first term at the University. Nontraditionai students have difficulties balancing course workloads and everyday life By Jared Paben News Reporter Kimberly Gwynne knows that she can't live the same life as most students. The 34-year old nontraditionai student and her nine-year partner David Watson, 38, wake up at 6:15 a m. three days a week to get to their 9 a m. Geography 141 class on time. The two environmental science majors live in Salem and commute every week day to at tend school in Eugene. They home school their children, work all day Saturday and Sun day to pay the bills and struggle to manage their load of homework and reading. Gwynne and Watson are classic examples of nontraditionai students. Nontraditionai Student Union co-Director Steven Burns estimated that approximately 1,600 nontraditionai students attend the Uni versity, but he admitted it's hard to know for Turn to STUDENTS, page 3 Morales press release raises concerns about ASUO’s practices The late release of information involving ASUO’s vice president has created contradicting opinions about their public relations tactics By Ali Shaughnessy Senior News Reporter The charges brought against ASUO Vice President Eduardo Morales have raised ques tions about the organization's public relations procedures. Morales was cited for assault and criminal mischief in the second degree and appeared in municipal court on Oct. 22 to plead innocent. That same day, ASUO spokeswoman Taraneh Foster prepared a press statement. The Emer aid was not given a copy of the statement until Oct. 28 when a reporter attempted to inter view Morales. Professionals in the public relations field and public relations professors at the University have contradicting opinions about whether it was a good or bad strategy for ASUO to withhold the statement from the media. University Professor Thomas Bivins said it would have been a better move to release the statement once the information was available, but he said he could not fault ASUO for trying to protect itself. "It's not good press relations," he said. "But it's not unethical." University Professor Jim Van Leuven also said the smart move would have been to re lease a press statement or hold a press confer ence immediately after finding out about the alleged incident. "Information should have been made avail able sooner because it is a matter of public record, and (Morales) is a public official," Van Leuven said. However, Jim Bradbury, who owns a Eugene based press relations business, said ASUO's strat egy is a common practice known as a contin gency statement, meaning that it is contingent upon media request. "It's like breathing in and breathing out," he said. "You always want to prepare a statement in case the press does call, so you can say what you want to say correctly and to avoid legal issues." Bradbury said he would "quite possibly" use the same methods as Foster if found in a simi lar situation. "You want to be prepared," he said. Foster said the statement was prepared in lieu of being able to interview her regarding the mat ter because she was leaving town on a business trip the evening of Oct. 23. Foster said she didn't know if she would have contacted the media had the media not contacted her, adding that ASUO has only an obligation to students. "We are not required to (notify media)," Fos ter said. "Media are not our constituents." Foster said she used a "crisis communica tions" tactic while preparing the statement. Hav ing less than an hour to write it, she sought ad vice from various public relations professionals, including Seattle-based consultant John Stark weather of the Morse Associates. Turn to PRESS, page 3 WEATHER INSIDE NEXT ISSUE LOW 27 HIGH 46 Campus buzz. Classifieds. Commentary. .8 Crossword. ,7 Horoscope. .2 Sports.. 7 7 5 Mario Kart gets cubed
