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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2003)
An independent newspaper http://www.dailyemerald.com Friday, November 7,2003 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 105, Issue 51 Housing reduces expenses due to funding dip Funds for University Housing have fallen by more than $1.5 million due to having about 300 fewer students in the residence halls By Jared Paben News Reporter University Housing is reducing expenses by postponing projects and purchasing fewer sup plies to make up for a funding dip of more than $ 1.5 million, according to Housing officials. Mike Eyster, assistant vice president for stu dent affairs and director of Housing, said housing revenues have fallen by 6 or 7 percent because fewer students are living in the resi dence halls. Eyster estimated that University Housing's revenues have decreased by $1.6 to $ 1.9 million this year. Currently, Housing has 3,045 occupants in the halls compared to 3,338 at this time last year, Eyster said. Eyster said the decrease in the number of residence hall occupants coincides with the cap on freshman enrollment, an administra tive effort to stabilize the student population between 20,000 and 21,000. Eyster said Housing did anticipate a lesser number of freshman occupants in the halls, but the decrease was worse than expected. Occupancy rates naturally fluctuate from year to year, but this year's drop was especially painful because last year the University had the largest freshman class in its history, Eyster explained. He added that Housing relies solely on fees from residence hall occupants for funding and is now trimming fat from its budget in order to absorb the decreases. For example, housing officials have decided to postpone a project that would have added space-economical storage units to some resi dence hall rooms. Postponing that project, which was conceived one year ago, has saved them $90,000, Eystersaid. He also said they are going to reduce ex penses by traveling less, spending less money on food and purchasing fewer supplies. I lous ing has not laid off any employees, Eyster said, and he doubts that it has hired fewer student employees as a result of the decrease. I Ie said when Housing does hire fewer students em ployees, it's because there are fewer residents and thus less demand for employees, not to cut costs. Turn to HOUSING, page 6A Abortion bill spurns activists into action The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban has incited national debate and prompted a local Planned Parenthood-sponsored protest By Ali Shaughnessy Senior News Reporter Abortion rights activists gathered on Wednesday evening at the Ferry Street Bridge to protest the Partial-Birth Abor tion Ban, which was signed into law on Wednesday by President George W. Bush. Planned Parenthood helped sponsor the event, in which activists waved a se ries of signs at rush hour traffic that read: "Politicians playing doctor is hazardous to women's health." Kitty Piercy, public affairs director for the Planned Parenthood Health Services of Southwestern Oregon, said the protest went well, adding that all of the students who participated were vital. "It's an expression of how many peo ple are not happy with this law being passed," she said. Oregon Right to Life Executive Director Turn to ABORTION, page 5A GROWTH SPURT Visiting Assistant Professor Fiona Ngo teaches an ethnic studies class in McKenzie Hall on Thursday. The program brings in visiting professors to share new experiences and help with the class load. Tim Bobosky Photographer Examining ethnicity The Ethnic Studies Program has grown rapidly in the past 3 years and now has about 100 majors By Chelsea Duncan News Reporter Senior Christina Finley came to the Uni versity last year in search of an education that would enable her to become a tribal at torney at the Colville Reservation in Wash ington near where she grew up. She is now majoring in ethnic studies, a program that examines the construction and context of ethnicity in the United States, and she said she plans to attend law school after she completes her undergraduate studies. "There are not a lot of ethnic studies pro grams in the state," she said. 'This is the only program in the University that is dedicated to action and social justice, which is exactly what 1 want to do with my life." Finley is one of about 100 majors in the University's Ethnic Studies Program, which was implemented as a major in 1997. The program has expanded rapidly in the past three years, growing from about 12 majors since it began appointing its own faculty in 1999. Associate Professor Shari I luhndorf, who directed the program during its growth spurt, said the program relied solely on participat ing faculty in other departments before it had its own faculty. The independence in faculty Turn to ETHNIC, page 6A Morales’ citation sparks questions about impeachment rules The ASUO lacks explicit rules for a vice president’s impeachment By Chuck Slothower News Reporter ASUO Vice President Eddy Morales' recent cita tion by the Eugene Police Department has ex posed a weakness in the ASUO's heavily relied upon "Green Tape Notebook," which details the ASUO Constitution and myriad ASUO rules. The extensive document has no explicit provision for impeaching or firing an ASUO vice president, if such an action were necessary. "To the best of my knowledge, the ASUO rules are silent on how to recall a vice president" ASUO Student Senate Ombudsman Mike Sherman said. "I don't know of any clause that says what the pro cedure would be." The removal of Morales from the vice presi dent's seat is, of course, speculative. Sherman said any action to remove Morales would be premature without a conviction. "It's not really relevant right now," Sherman said. Morales was cited Oct. 8 in connection with a Sept. 12 incident in which he allegedly assaulted a University senior. Morales now awaits trial after he pleaded innocent to charges of assault and criminal mischief on Oct. 22. This isn't the first time that an ASIIO vice presi dent has run into legal trouble. Ben Buzbee, the 2002-03 ASUO vice president, pleaded guilty to furnishing alcohol to minors during a keg party at his residence on Jan. 18. Turn to ASUO, page 5A WEATHER INSIDE NEXT ISSUE LOW 37 HIGH 53 Campus buzz.6A Classifieds.11A Commentary..2A Crossword.11A Nation & World.3A Sports.7A fd Oregon's first game comes on Sunday
