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?