Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 2005)
Mania TV! broadcasts ’round-the-clock in Pulse I 5 Oregon Daily Emerald An independent newspaper www. dailyemerald. com Since 1900 \ Volume 106, Issue 93 \ Thursday, February 3,2005 Bush touts Social Security reform during address In Wednesday's State of the Union address, President Bush also promised to increase the size of Pell Grants BY ADAM CHERRY & MEGHANN M. CUNIFF NEWS REPORTER & SENIOR NEWS REPORTER President Bush delivered his State of the Union address to Congress Wednesday night, touting his plans for Social Security and U.S tax code re form while praising the worldwide spread of liberty and domestic economic improvement. The President covered an array of topics as he laid out the agenda for his next year in office and reflected on advancements made in the past four years. He voiced his support for a constitutional amendment on mar riage; the reauthorization of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, which helps subsidize health care for HIV and AIDS patients; the establishment of an initiative to help keep people out of gangs; and continuing the war on terror. He com mended the Iraqi people for their courage during Sunday’s election and promised to nominate judges qualified to serve on the bench. “Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, the state of our union is growing and strong,” Bush said. “Let us do what Americans have always done and build a better world for our children and grandchildren. ” Bush dedicated a substantial portion of his speech to his plan for Social Se curity reform. He emphasized volun tary personal retirement accounts that will offer a far better growth rate than anything the current system can man age, particularly for young people. “The system, on its current path, is headed toward bankruptcy,” Bush said. “Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. We must pass re form that solves the financial problems of Social Security once and for all. ” Young people will eventually be able to divert up to four percentage points of their payroll taxes to the accounts, Bush said. “If you are a younger worker, I be lieve you should be able to set aside part of that money in your own retire ment account, so you can build a nest egg for your own future,” he said. Bush said it was his priority to avoid increases in payroll taxes and ensure that any changes are gradual. He promised to protect low-income workers and to make no change in the system for those now retired or nearing retirement. “We must join together to strength en and save Social Security,” Bush said, promising to work with Congress to find the most effective solution. “Our children’s retirement security is more important than partisan politics.” Democrats did not applaud the President’s plans for Social Security. Democratic Minority Leaders Sen. Harry Reid, Nev., and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Calif., responded on national television shortly following the President’s address. Reid described Bush’s plan for the program as “Social Security roulette.” Bush referred to the federal tax code as archaic and incoherent. “I have appointed a bipartisan panel to examine the tax code from top to bottom,” he said. “When their recom mendations are delivered, you and I will work together to give this nation a tax code that is pro-growth, easy to un derstand and fair to all.” Bush targeted small business laws and medical liability for reform. “Justice is distorted and our economy is held back by irresponsible STATE, page 4 Photo illustration by Lauren Wimer and Steven Neuman Although the supply of adult flu shots is low, there are still treatments available for shortening the duration of the flu BY KARA HANSEN NEWS REPORTER The Lane County Public Health Department ran out of adult flu shots Wednesday, and the University Health Center exhausted its supply in mid-January, but Health' Center Director Tom Ryan said students can still avoid getting the flu or speed up its duration if they get sick. “The best thing to do is to be im munized,” Ryan said. “Other than that, it’s doing those things that keep us safe from other diseases.” The health center’s supply of vaccine ran out in just two days when the Oregon Department of Human Services removed guidelines restricting flu vaccinations and opened up flu shots to the general population on Jan. 6. Flu season began Jan. 8 and can last through April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although Lane County Public Health no longer has adult flu shots, it still has the intranasal vaccine Flu Mist available for individuals between ages 5 and 49, Nursing Supervisor Betsy Meredith said. Ryan said students can stay healthy through the flu season by getting plenty of rest, avoiding immune suppressants such as alcohol and tobacco, and wash ing their hands frequently. Common flu symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nasal congestion and a dry cough, accord ing to the CDC. Students who catch the illness within 48 hours of the on set of these symptoms can shorten the illness’s duration, Ryan said. “There is a variety of antiviral drugs that will shorten duration of symptoms one to two days,” Ryan said. “This may not sound like much, but when you’re really sick, it is a lot.” The health center’s pharmacy of fers three antiviral drugs to speed up the presence of flu symptoms, which could last for three to seven days if not treated, he said. Health center pharmacist Kathleen Malekzadeh said the three prescrip tion-only medications are most bene ficial to students with illnesses that would cause them to be heavily impacted if they got the flu. She said students who are sick often or just want to avoid having the symptoms also benefit, although the drugs have a drawback. FLU, page 3 IN BRIEF West University Neighbors to discuss crime, trees tonight Students concerned with the increase of crime in the neighborhood west of campus or interested in working with community mem bers to save the trees in the city are encouraged to attend the West University Neighbors meeting tonight, chairman Drix Rixmann said. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Central Presbyterian Church on the comer of 15th Avenue and Patterson Street. Rixmann e-mailed members of the associa tion about a sudden increase in crime in the neighborhood. “To me, that’s a YIKES!” Rixmann wrote. The association hopes to develop a Neigh borhood Security Plan to better combat theft and vandalism, Rixmann said. Eugene Urban Forester Mark Snyder will also be there to discuss ways to protect and plant trees around the neighborhood. — Meghann M. Cuniff Programs Finance Committee Four groups see budget increases Tuesday The ASUO Women's Center asked for an extra benefits package to hire a part-time coordinator Erin O’Brien said she wanted the should not operate on probabilities extra package so she could keep because it was unclear whether current office coordinator Lori Brown would stay on at the center. Brown, who mipht Pn tn prarluatp “T Hnn’t rhinL- it’c tinea ta oKoll BY AYISHA YAHYA NEWS EDITOR In addition to the Oregon Com mentator hearing, which resulted in the rejection of the publication’s mission, four other incidental-fee funded groups had their budgets boosted at Programs Finance Com mittee hearings Thesday night. The Career Center’s Mentor Program received $85,643, an 8.69 percent increase. The pro gram, which matches up students with professionals in their field of study, has expanded significantly since its inception in 1993, Coor dinator Sydney Ledford said. She said the extra funding will be used to cater to the growing num ber of students. The ASUO Women’s Center’s budget got a 2.86 percent boost, with a budget allocation of $145,765. PFC members spent a considerable time discussing whether to allow for an additional benefits package that would enable the center to have one director and two part-time office coordinators. The center’s Interim Director school next year and therefore would only be able to work part time. The extra benefits package would allow the center to hire another part-time coordinator. O’Brien added that Brown had worked at the center for more than five years and maintaining her presence was important for “institutional memory,” especially in light of changes the center is undergoing. The ASUO plans to hire a new center director next year. But some PFC members did not back the idea, stating the PFC money for a ‘what if,’” PFC member Dan Kieffer said. But O’Brien said as director, she should be able to have options for her staff. “It’s not a ‘what if’ — it’s having options for the director to make personnel decisions,” she said. She added that the center could return the money in the event that two part-time positions were not created. “I think it’s part of our mission at the Women’s Center to support PFC, page 3
