Photographs from the Oregon Country Fair
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An independent newspaper at the University of Oregon
www.dailyemerald. com
Since 1900 | Volume 107, Issue 008 | Thursday, July 14, 2005
Chemists advance ammonia quest
Scientists have discovered a way to alter nitrogen
into ammonia, a chemical used in fertilizers
BY NICHOLAS WILBUR
NEWS REPORTER
The pursuit to produce ammo
nia, the fertilizer that made the
“Green Revolution” in agriculture
possible, is making progress
thanks to a recent discovery by
professor David Tyler and two
graduate students, John Gilbert
son and Nate Szymczak, of the
University chemistry department.
After four years of research, the
team discovered a way to “fix” ni
trogen, an atmospheric gas devoid
of reactive properties, by using
iron as a catalyst to combine the
electrons of hydrogen and make
ammonia. The process was carried
out in an ether solution, but all of
the steps except one have been
found to work in water.
“Previously they’ve had to do
this with very exotic materials,”
Tyler said. The team discovered a
way to convert nitrogen to am
monia at low temperatures and
pressures “the process doesn’t re
quire as much energy. We’ve
opened up a way that can lead to
other research that can do that.”
Ammonia is used as food for
plants and is the fertilizer used for
much of the world’s food supply.
NITROGEN, page ?
Tim Bobosky | Photo editor
Chemistry professor David Tyler talks about the efficient production of ammonia
used for fertilizers.
Unfur Chaka
Karlsson looks
through a
Stareograph at
the Jordan
Schnitzer
Museum of Art
while on a visit
from Iceland to
see his father
Charles Dalton.
Tim Bobosky | Photo editor
Photographs of a fragile frontier
The new exhibit at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum showcases
landscape photography of the West, spanning three centuries
YEONG DOO MOON
FREELANCE REPORTER
About 140 historic photographs of the
American West landscape are on display
for public viewing at the University's
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
Having kicked off last week, the museum's
fresh exhibition “Advocates for the Land: Pho
tography in the American West” includes art
pieces from photography masters such as
Timothy O'Sullivan, Ansel Adams and Robert
Adams from the 19th century through the 21st cen
tury. The show will continue to mn until Sept. 18.
As the title of the show indicates, the fea
tured photographs display diverse points of
view about the use of the landscape from
preservation to development, although their
creators might merely be trying to represent the
EXHIBIT, page 4
Information services makes new hire
Incoming Vice Provost for Information Services, Don Harris, places
making computer labs more "group-use-friendly" as a top priority
BYGABE BRADLEY
NEWS EDITOR
Emory University’s Don Harris will leave At
lanta, Ga., where he is the vice provost for infor
mation services and chief information officer to
fill the same position here at the University.
“This really has been my entire career,”
Harris said. “I started at Pepperdine Universi
ty in California.”
From Pepperdine, Harris went to Maryland,
Pennsylvania and Tennessee before ending up in
his current position in Atlanta. •
Half his career has been spent in information
technology management; the other half has been
spent teaching information management to busi
ness students.
Currently, Harris has no plans for teaching at
the University.
“I certainly need to focus on the administrative
challenges facing me,” Harris said.
However, Harris also said he has contact with
the business school and will wait to see whether
an opportunity to teach comes up.
“What I’m doing at the University is very
much the practical side
of allocating resources,”
Harris said.
The information servic
es department deals with
the campus networks,
computer labs, help desks,
and other technology
related services.
Harris saia ne wouia
DON HARRIS like to implement
VICE PROVOST FOR changes in the computer
INFORMATION SERVICES iat>s that would facilitate
cooperation among students: “More small
group dynamics as opposed to one student sit
ting at a computer.” This consideration affects
HARRIS, page 13
Increased
loan interest
rates effect
students
Tuition raises and federal grant
budget cuts are making college
harder for families to afford
BY NICHOLAS WILBUR
NEWS REPORTER
The recent increase in student loan in
terest rates on July 1 is a contributing fac
tor to debates over higher education af
fordability. T\iition is predicted to rise an
additional 3 percent over the next two
years, federal funding to education grants
is stagnating and now the 2005-2006 stu
dent loan interest rate has increased by 70
percent from last year, the first increase in
five years.
After several years of record-breaking
lows, last year's interest rate fell to
3.37 percent, the lowest it has been in
nearly 35 years.
Every year the Federal Reserve reevalu
ates the bond-equivalent rate through
what is called a 91-day Treasury bill. For 91
days an “auction” watches the investment
value of Federal Reserve funds and then
determines the loan interest rates for the
next year. From July 1, 2004 through June
30, 2005 the auction set the bond-equiva
lent rate at 1.07 percent. The auction de
termined that the rate from July 1, 2005
through June 30, 2006 was 2.998 percent.
This 1.97 percentage point increase is the
biggest increase since 1980. Adding the
base 1.7 percent for all loans of in-school,
grace or deferment status brings the total
to 4.7 percent, up from 2.77. For loans al
ready being repaid, 2.3 percent is added,
totaling 5.3 percent.
This increase is a result of the Federal
Reserve raising short-term interest rates for
banks and loan companies to balance the
market by bumping up the funds rate.
A decrease in the quantity of money co
incides with an increase in interest rates
when adjusting to market demands and at
tempting equilibrium, according t» the ba
sic principles of macroeconomics.
For students with subsidized loans,
the interest rate will not affect them
until graduation.
Elizabeth Bickford, director of Student Fi
nancial Aid and Scholarships, said, “if (the
interest rate) gets higher or stays at this level
it will impact (students) when they gradu
ate. At some point it may reach the cap
(8.25 percent), and these are the things we
will be looking at this year. Right now it’s
too early to predict the implications. ”
Bickford expressed concern for the
upcoming re-authorization of federal
financial aid later this year and is hoping
Pell Grants are given specific attention.
She said that the interest rate will have no
effect on the ability to obtain student
loans. Whether fewer people apply for
the loans because of the increased interest
rate is something they will have to wait to
find out.
A July 13 article in the New York Times,
“Sharp Rise in Tax Revenue to Pare U.S.
Deficit,” reported that for the first time
in George W. Bush’s presidency, the
federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2005
will shrink by $100 billion. The Adminis
tration was said to announce that the budg
et will not match the February estimate of
$427 billion.
INTEREST RATES, page 6