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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2005)
Today Wednesday Thursday High: 63 High: 64 High: 65 Low: 41 Low: 43 Low: 43 Precip: 0% Precip: 0% Precip: 30% IN BRIEF Lawmakers consider higher speed limits on interstates SALEM — Some lawmakers are renewing a push to increase speed limits to 70 mph on rural interstate highways. Proponents say the bill reflects both the will of Oregonians and cur rent driving practices. But state transportation experts and safety advocates testified before the House Transportation Commit tee Monday that raising the current 65 mph limit would increase traffic fatalities and put all drivers in greater danger. The only testimony for the bill was from Karl Thatcher, whose wife, Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, is on the committee. Thatcher said Oregon drivers want a faster speed limit and the Legislature should respect that. He also said the government should not outlaw something because it is po tentially dangerous. But Mark Koberstein, a member of the Transportation Safety Gover nor’s Advisory Committee, said the speed limit should stay where it is. “We don’t raise...the blood alco hol content, because people are drinking more,” Koberstein said, “but we seem to keep trying to raise the speed limit,” because people are driving faster. The 2003 Legislature directed the Oregon Department of Transporta tion to study whether increasing speed limits was a good idea and gave the agency the option to in crease rural highway speeds. But, based on safety studies, the department decided not to raise lim its on rural freeways. The new bill would require speed limits to be increased to 70 mph on rural interstate highways. TYoy Costales, transportation safety manager of the Department of Trans portation, said increasing the speed limit would increase traffic deaths. He said not only does the bill go against recommendations from the study ordered by the Legislature, but it would also set a 70 mph speed limit on all stretches of rural interstate highway, including places where it would be dangerous to do so. “Speed limit increases are the wrong thing to do,” he said. — The Associated Press School of Music officials consider security measures BY EMILY SMITH NEWS REPORTER Additional security cameras and shorter building hours are among the possible solutions to the School of Music’s ongoing theft problem. The issue is currently being considered by the school’s administration and the Department of Public Safety. SOM Dean Brad Foley and assis tant dean Janet Stewart met with DPS last Friday to discuss SOM security weaknesses in light of the burglary earlier this month in which two sus pects entered the school three sepa rate times, allegedly stealing instru ments valued at more $25,000 out of student lockers on the second floor. DPS Interim Director Tom Hicks said he will be looking into the cost of access control, providing in creased DPS visibility in the area, additional cameras and closing the building earlier in the evening. He said he would like to see changes implemented during summer term to test them out for fall. After the March 30 burglary, stu dents and six SOM graduate teaching fellows sent a letter with some security suggestions to DPS and SOM administration. Stewart said their ideas and concerns were “most cer tainly taken into consideration.” DPS and the SOM were already in the process of scheduling a meeting to discuss the building’s security when GTF Cody Forcier said the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federa tion advised him to write a formal let ter with the complaints. Hicks said finding the money to pay for the changes is going to be difficult, but everything is still in the planning process, so he wall look into funding af ter the costs are figured out. SOM graduate student Derek Newell had said he was concerned about the lockers as well as-the build ing’s easy access and limited securi ty when his $20,000 cello was stolen using only a pair of bolt cutters. Stewart said at this time, doing anything about the lockers would be very difficult without replacing them, so for now they are encouraging all SOM students storing instruments in the school “to get decent locks. ” emilysmith@dailyemerald.com Pregnant? Talk with a friend. 1.800.848.LOVE possiblypregnant.org UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Ol 2005 Summer Session Registration Starts May 2 Register for Summer Classes Book Your Summer in Oregon Summer Session starts June 20. Pick up your free summer catalog today in the Summer Session office (333 Oregon Hall), at the UO Bookstore, or read it online. You can speed your way toward graduation by taking required courses during summer. Check Out Our Website! http://uosummer.uoregon.edu EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity Wednesday, April 27 10am - m [MU Ballroom Pre-Career Fair Seminar Making the Career Fair Work For You Tuesday, April 26 • 4:00 - 530 pm • EMU (oquille Room UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Career Center 220 Hendricks Hal', • 346-3235 • http:/Aiocareer.uoregon.edu Spring 2005
