Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 2005)
NCAA national championship results I 9 An independent newspaper ivww. dailyemerald. com Since 1900 | Volume 106, Issue 127 | Tuesday, April 5, 2005 flSUO elections EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS Candidate interviews 16 & 7 1 DAY UNTIL primaries Music school security criticized A recent theft, totalling over $25,000, has raised questions among students and music school GTFs BY EMILY SMITH NEWS REPORTER The University School of Music provides little security for student owned instruments stored in the building before 10 p.m., according to students and graduate teaching fellows in the school. In light of Wednesday’s burgla ry, in which thieves stole more than $25,000 in music equipment on three separate trips, students like Derek Newell, owner of a $20,000 cello that was taken out of his locker, say something more needs to be done. SOM Graduate Teaching Fellow Nick Toben, who chased down a burglary suspect despite the sus pect’s threat to stab him with a “dirty needle,” said he is asking the University to add security. Currently, the school provides students with lockers on the sec ond floor of the music building. The lockers are not in a separate room, but more or less out in the open. While the area has high traffic early in the day, in the evening, Newell said, he is some times the only person in the dimly lit locker area. “There are no locks on the doors except for what we supply ourselves,” Newell said. Assistant to the Dean at the SOM Janet Stewart said students getting their instruments stolen “has al ways been a problem.” She said over the years the school has in stalled cameras above exits and stairways, brought in two student Community Service officers after 10 p.m. and encouraged students, faulty and GTFs to lock up their things, know the serial numbers on instruments and carry insurance. However, budgetary and space constraints prevent the school from being able to do much more about the problem, Stewart said. Most students use simple mas ter locks that can be cut with bolt cutters, which is what Thursday’s burglars did to steal Newell’s cel lo, Newell said. “My heart dropped when I opened my locker to find my cello gone and a pair of bolt cutters in its place,” he said. Even if you have a better lock, as Newell now does, all a thief has to do is pop the screws out of the locker hinges, he said. “With close proximity to 18th (Avenue), transients have ample access to the building and can get in and out extremely fast. It takes less than a minute to climb the stairs, clip a lock, and exit the building with a valuable piece of equipment,” Newell wrote in an MUSIC, page 5 Eyes wide OPEN It’s considered one of the most controversial wars in U.S. history, but this wasn’t evident at “Eyes Wide Open,” an Iraq War exhibit that stopped at Wheeler Pavilion at Lane County Fairgrounds on Sunday and Monday. Exhibit viewers came in civilian and military garb, representing a variety of walks of life and viewpoints, but all came to honor the sacrifice made by U.S. troops in Iraq. The American Friends Service Committee hosted the exhibit, which has been across the country and recog nizes the contributions U.S troops have made. Fifteen-hundred boots stood in straight lines, each representing a life lost, though lo cal coordinator Helen Park said the actual number of U.S. casualties is closer to 4,000. Each pair of boots was tagged with a soldier’s name, age and the state he or she came from. Some were adorned with personal memora bilia: a small key chain, a bracelet, teddy bears and family portraits. “As you look at these boots, you’re com pelled to imagine the people that stood in them,” Susan Segall, the AFSC’s regional direc tor said. Senior Lin Charpentier was moved to tears by the sight of the boots. “I knew it was going to be a really moving experience,” she said. “I started crying before I even came in the door.” The exhibit also featured informational panels and a video about the Iraq War, as well as thousands of shoes to represent Nicolf. Barkkr | Photographer civilian casualties. Park said while the exhibit was saddening, it offered a feeling of hope. “There’s such a feeling of helplessness re garding U.S. foreign policy,” she said. “This is one little thing we can connect with. It’s empowering.” — Moriah Balingit Student fibers guild turns knitting craze into charity project The guild is currently knitting for Womenspace and has donated clothing to several other organizations BY ROBERT X. FOGARTY DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER At first glance it’s just a bur gundy stocking cap. You could get a similar style hat from a mega-store for a few bucks. But don’t tell that to the members of the University Stu dent Fibers Guild, a group of University students with a knit ting obsession and a student pro gram aimed at giving back to the community through their KNITTING, page 12 Courtesy The University Student Fibers Guild held an open house Sunday atfernoon in which members knit clothing for charity. Lawmakers scrutinize state tuition possibilities A freeze in University tuition may require an estimated $32 million, money the legislature doesn't have BY ADAM CHERRY NEWS REPORTER As lawmakers in Salem discuss the possibili ty of enacting a tuition freeze at Oregon public universities for the 2005-07 biennium, some in dividuals in higher education say a two-year freeze may not be the best thing for Oregon col leges and students. Arguments, echoed by some lawmakers and evoked by others, involve whether or not the state can find the millions of new dollars that would fund a tuition freeze for resident students. University President Dave Frohnmayer said in a telephone interview that if a funding source cannot be found, any tuition freeze the govern ment passes would amount to a budget cut in higher education. “The cost of buying down tuition increases to i zero has been estimated at $32 million new dol lars,” Frohnmayer said. “Anyone advocating for the freeze should hopefully be prepared to find a strategy for find ing that money,” Frohnmayer said, adding that any budget cut to higher education would result in a dilution of its quality. “There’re some legislators that, in principle, would like to see it,” Frohnmayer said. “Of course, in principle, we would too, but if there’s to be new action from it, it would have to be paid for by increased state support. ” ASUO President Adam Petkun, chair of the Oregon Student Association and one of the most vocal proponents of a tuition freeze, said he did n’t support a freeze if it forced the University to take a budget cut. “It has always been our stance that the tuition freeze should not come at the expense of funding for higher education,” he said. Petkun added that students need the tuition freeze to catch their breath after large increases over the last several years and he hopes the state will increase funding for higher education. “A point that we’ve had trouble making to some people, although the legislature has under stood it, is that we’re not asking that the cost of education be artificially frozen at some arbitrary level,” Petkun said. “We’re instead saying that the state has been disinvesting year after year after year while the cost of education has gone up at the expense of students. ” When faced with the choice of funding the tu ition freeze or the Oregon Opportunity Grant, Petkun said he supports the grant. The state grant benefits Oregon's neediest students. “The biggest success we’ve had so far this ses sion was the Governor’s investment in the Ore gon Opportunity Grant, and it’s the best way to ensure access for the neediest students,” he said. “People have characterized our stance as that we want a tuition freeze at all costs, which is not the truth. We do not want to see funding for a tuition freeze come at the expense of the Oregon Oppor tunity Grant because the Opportunity Grant is LEGISLATURE, page 8
