Visiting professor speaks of ‘Struggling for God’ I 5
An independent newspaper
Above: A University
Crisis Center volun
teer answers phone
calls for students
dealing with crises,
including those
who are suicidal.
The names and
identities of the vol
unteers are kept
secret. Left: Robin
Holmes is at the
center of a new
University suicide
prevention policy.
Lauren Wimer
Senior photographer
Suicide’s student
SURGE
In response to a rising number of suicides and suicide attempts
nationwide, the University is creating policies to support students
BY KARA HANSEN
NEWS REPORTER
The scenario is increasingly common
across the nation. Colleges around the
country are reporting an upswing in stu
dent suicides, with experts pointing to a com
bination of catalysts for increased depression
and anxiety in student populations: academic
stress, a poor job market, financial concerns
amid tuition increases, social obligations.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death
among college-age students, with 1,088
Increase in campus
suicides, attempts
Colleges nationwide have reported increases
in the number of students expressing suicidal
thoughts and behaviors.
University counseling centers across the na
tion have reported an 8 percent increase in the
number of students receiving services, and a re
cent survey found that 61 percent of college stu
dents felt hopeless, 45 percent felt depressed to
the point they couldn’t function and 9 percent
suicides occurring on
campuses nationwide
each year, according to
the University of Ore
gon Counseling and
Testing Center.
With at least two sui
cides from 2003 to 2004
and with a significant
increase in the number
of students expressing
suicidal thoughts and
behaviors, the Univer
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UNIVERSITY COUNSELING
Services: Psychological testing and assessment;
educational workshops and outreach; individual and
group counseling; crisis phoneline. Psychiatric assess
ments through the health center.
Staff: 11 senior psychologists and about 20 other staff
members, including pre-doctoral interns, practicum
interns and graduate teaching fellows.
Service costs and limits: There are no limits on the
number of counseling sessions, but the center charges
fees for learning disabilities assessments and other tests.
ivil ouiuuai, auvuiumg iu
the American College
Health Association.
Those figures are reflect
ed at the University in a 13
percent jump in the number
of students reporting suici
dal thoughts and behaviors,
said University Counseling
and Testing Center Director
Robin Holmes.
“We have a lot of stu
dents who think about or
carrv through thoughts of
the national trend. The problem has prompted
the creation of a Suicide Prevention Task Force
on campus, which is preparing a new draft of
the school’s mandatory medical-leave policy
and has drafted a set of “best practices” for re
ferring suicidal students to campus resources.
The mandatory medical-leave policy outlines
conditions under which the University can re
quire students to leave, such as when students
pose imminent danger to themselves or others.
Add in a potential funding boost from a bill
that recently passed in Congress, and the Uni
versity has a new face on suicide prevention
and policies.
suicidal behaviors," Holmes
said. “We’re concerned. Either students are
showing up to our campus with more difficul
ties, or things are more difficult out there and
students are seeing this as a way of dealing with
their problems.”
In a paper drafted for University deans, direc
tors and department heads, Holmes noted the
overall suicide rate for adolescents has tripled
over the past 60 years, propelling it to the third
leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds
nationwide.
Director of Residence Life Sandy Schoonover
SUICIDE, page 8
www. da ilyemerald. com
Since 1900 | Volume 106, Issue 59 | Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Examining ASUO
ASUO officials say
retreat's regulations
dear for 'dry event'
New information surrounding
the Sunriver retreat creates
more questions than answers
BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF & PARKER HOWELL
NEWS REPORTERS
Nearly a month after student government
members admitted to violating the Student
Conduct Code by drinking alcohol and
smoking marijuana on the fall finance re
treat in Sunriver, more information about
the violations and the roles administrators
played while on the trip has come to light.
The Oct. 8-10 retreat was funded by about
$3,200 in student fees, which ASUO officials
have since pledged to refund.
Student Judicial Affairs Director Chris
Loschiavo said Tuesday he expects to get the
ASUO’s final recommendations for punish
ments later this week.
But while ASUO members finish drafting
proposals for their own punishments, there
is still uncertainty about whether the rules
on drinking were clear, as well as when
ASUO leaders and administrators learned of
the violations.
Were the rules clear?
ASUO leaders have repeatedly stated
they made it clear before and during the
trip that the retreat was to be alcohol-free,
but recent interviews indicate some stu
dents did not see the importance of abid
ing by them.
EMU Director Dusty Miller, one of the
administrators who attended the retreat,
said there was no discussion among ad
ministrators about the possibility of illegal
substance consumption by retreat atten
dees because there was no evidence that it
was even likely.
“The event was announced to be a dry
event,” Miller said.
But Miller also said there was some dis
cussion of the no-alcohol and no-drug rule
on the drive from Eugene, stemming from
a general discussion of state rules regulat
ing the trip. He said it was established that
transporting alcohol in state-owned vehi
cles is a violation of the rules.
ASUO, page 7
TIMELINE OF
A VIOLATION
Oct. 8
39 members of the ASUO and three University
administrators traveled to Sunriver, Ore., for a weekend
retreat to learn ASUO processes and build group unity.
Oct. 10
The group returns to Eugene. ASUO Student Senate
President James George and ASUO Vice President Mena
Ravassipour said they learned of the alcohol and marijuana
consumption by retreat attendees during the drive home.
Oct 11
Sunset Realty, the real estate agency that oversees the five
houses rented by the ASUO, faxes a copy of an
■’inappropriate" note written in one of the houses’ guest
book. The ASUO sends a letter of apology to the agency.
Oct. 20
Numerous members of the ASUO are seen meeting in an
unannounced, closed-door meeting in the EMU Board Room.
Oct. 21
George, Ravassipour, ASUO President Adam Petkun and
ASUO Publicity Director Nathan Strauss meet with the
Emerald to discuss the illegal activities and conduct code
violations that took place at the retreat.
Oct. 22
A letter by the ASUO apologizing to the student body for
misrepresenting the University by illegally consuming
substances at the Sunriver retreat is published In the
Emerald.
Oct. 27
Members of the ASUO are seen meeting in
meeting in the EMU Coquille Room.
Oct. 28
Sunset Realty faxes a copy of the "inapprop
Emerald. George, Ravassipour and Strauss meet with the
Emerald to discuss plans for disciplinary action. The three
said the group will fundraise to pay back the student money
spent on the trip.
Oct. 29 . .
Sunset Realty reportedly received ASUO’s letter of apology.
Nov. 11
Members of the ASUO are seen meeting in the EMU Board
Room. EMU Director Dusty Miller was in attendance.
Bret Furtwangler | Graphic artist
Audit: Raises may violate
statewide salary freeze
Representatives of the University and other institutions questioned say
the pay increases were approved before the new budget took effect
BY MORIAH RALINGIT
NEWS REPORTER
A secretary of state audit on the Oregon Uni
versity System labeled 126 pay raises granted by
the University and Oregon State University as
“questionable” because they may not comply
with a statewide salary freeze instituted to ease
Oregon’s increasing budget woes.
However, representatives for the Universi
ty, Oregon State University, the Oregon
University System and the Interinstitutional
Faculty Senate said the pay raises being
scrutinized are in compliance with the
salary freeze, as they were approved before
the beginning of the biennium, the two-year
period for which the budget applies.
“The UO fully complied with the 2003-2005
salary freeze,” Lorraine Davis, University vice
president for Academic Affairs, said. “In fact,
SALARY, page 4