Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2004)
An independent newspaper http://www.dailyemeraid.com Thursday, June 3,2004 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 105, Issue 168 Enabled learning A sound success Rick King, a returning legally deaf student, makes an impact and maintains his sense of humor Psychology major Rick King discusses his geology notes in the Nontraditional Student Union Tuesday morning. King has a hearing impairment, so notes and extra assistance help him to better grasp class material. King attributes his hearing loss to being in the military and working as a commercial fisherman. Danielle Hickey Photo Editor PART 3 OF 4 Tuesday: Freshman biology major Meghan Briggs, who is studying to be a genetic counselor, uses various tools to accommodate her blindness. Wednesday: Living with spina bifida doesn’t keep freshman Eli Ettinger from competing in wheelchair racing. Today: Psychology major Rick King, 47, is legally deaf but returned to college last year after more than 20 years. . Friday: Jessica Wyant, a student with attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia and auditory discrimination, receives tutoring from other University students. By Ayisha Yahya News Editor When Rick King sits in a class room, he hopes he'll be able to hear the teacher in front of him. Ambient noise, students' chatter or bad acoustics all have the potential to make the task harder for King, who is legally deaf. "The challenges around can be really frustrating," he said. The 47-year-old psychology major, who returned to the University last fall after more than 20 years, said he has w complete hearing loss in one ear and about 65 percent loss in the other. King damaged his hearing when he was in the military, and his hearing worsened later when he became a commercial fisherman. Whether he can hear successfully in his classes depends on whether the facil ities and professors are "user-friendly," he said. Some classrooms have terrible acoustics. And if the professor moves around a lot or doesn't speak clearly, it is more difficult to hear, he said. "When you get in a large classroom it's Turn to SOUND, page 4 University may face GTFF-filed grievances The GTFF claims the practice of hiring undergraduates for positions traditionally filled by GTFs is breach of contract By Moriah Balingit News Reporter The Graduate Teaching Fellows Federa tion is planning to file up to five griev ances against the University to address the practice of hiring undergraduates for posi tions traditionally filled by GTFs, which the GTFF claims is a violation of its Collec tive Bargaining Agreement. The conflict stems partially from differ ing interpretations of Article 17, Section 4 of the contract, which states if an under graduate is to fill a position "appropriate for GTFs," the position must provide "ap propriate educational opportunities." The GTFF and the University differ on which positions offer such opportunities. The GTFF, in their negotiations with the University, proposed to clarify the lan guage of the disputed section to remove any ambiguity. But at a bargaining session on May 14, the GTFF conceded this de mand, seeking instead to rectify the situa tion through the grievance process. The GTFF began its investigation when it asked the University to provide the names of departments that are using un dergraduate labor. GTFF negotiator David Cecil disclosed that five such departments — the mathematics, biology, chemistry', English and architecture departments — have all been found to use the controver sial hiring practice. Turn to GRIEVANCES, page 3 Students help take on ‘heart of campus’ redesign The intersection of East 13th Avenue and University Street will undergo a long-planned makeover this summer By Lisa Catto News Reporter University students returning in the fall may not recognize the kiosk area at the comer of East 13th Av enue and University Street. The University Planning Office and a University architecture class have been working to redesign the "heart of campus." For several years, various campus departments have brainstormed ways to improve this busy campus in tersection. Some of those possible changes include a traffic turnaround on University Street near the EMU, a new kiosk on the corner of East 13th Avenue and WEATHER University Street and improvements to that area, and an expansion of the EMU's visitor parking lot. Currently, the University has funding to build the new kiosk and revamp the surrounding area but is still working to fund the turnaround and parking lot expansion. University Planning Office Planning Associate Dorene Steggell wrote in an e-mail that the University received a donation in 2000 to create the University Street Axis Framework Study, a study of potential changes to the area spanning University Street from East 18th Avenue to Lawrence Hall. "The intersection of 13th Avenue and University Street was envisioned as the heart of campus, a space to be celebrated," Steggell wrote. "A major aspect of the concept is to make the place more pedestrian friendly, to be accomplished by giving the space a Turn to REDESIGN, page 4 1 INSIDE NEXT ISSUE A model shows what part of the proposed "heart of campus” at East 13th Avenue and University Street could look like after it is completed this summer. J Lauren Wimer Senior Photographer LOW HIGH 50 78 Campus buzz.4 Classifieds.14 Commentary.2 Crossword.15 Pulse.5 Sports.13 How witty is Travis Willse?
