Oregon Daily Emerald
Thursday, November 3, 2005
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|OE BAII.EY
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■ Guest commentary
RRC is unnecessary bureaucrat
The Multicultural Center objects to
the sudden creation of the Recogni
tion Review Committee because it is
overreaching and a potential abuse of
power by the ASUO Executive. It
appointed a five-member committee
that can summarily derecognize
student groups. The MCC believes
that students did not elect the ASUO
Exec to decide whether a student or
ganization has the right to exist and
receive funds. RRC Chairman and
Programs Administrator David
Goward has made repeated state
ments that the RRC does not exist to
defund organizations deemed not
worthy of recognition. This reassur
ance is completely disingenuous be
cause a vote of ASUO non-recognition
obviously results in complete ineligi
bility for ASUO funding.
The MCC believes that the ASUO
Exec and the RRC have not created
transparent review and appeal process
es. Also problematic is the ASUO Exec
utive’s recent add-on appointment of
the ASUO vice president as a member
of the RRC without an election process.
This is clearly inconsistent with former
ASUO President Adarn Petkun’s origi
nal memo that the ASUO Exec relies on
in forming the RRC.
In addition, the RRC continues to or
ganize in nonpublic manner; holding
meetings without notifying all of the
ASUO programs.
Furthermore, it is our understand
ing that it is the Program Finance
Committee’s role to examine the mis
sions and goals of various organiza
tions. Neither the Exec nor Goward
have clarified why the PFC’s power to
review these groups is being sup
planted by a new RRC.
A memo by Goward states: “When
the concept of duplication of services
arises, I want to emphasize that it
mainly pertains to the approval of
new groups.” Goward and other EMU
administrators, however, have men
tioned to students the proposal of
merging several existing student
groups of color without understand
ing or knowing the specific and differ
ent needs and interests that various
groups address, disguising a thinly
veiled institutionalized cultural in
competence under the general rubric
of “duplication of services.”
The MCC believes that these politi
cal appointments may reflect a biased
cultural lens as to what is recognized
as the actual programming needs for
underrepresented students, potentially
nullifying students’ ability to exercise
their right to self-determination in or
ganizing campus community groups.
Any discussion of forming such a
committee should have had the ma
jority support of fee-funded groups
and the student body, and should be
subject to campus community input.
We hope the ASUO Constitutional
Court and campus community agree
that the RRC is harmful to communi
ty-building, has powers that are over
reaching and its purported duty to re
view program mission statements is
already delegated by the Green Book
to the PFC, which has done a more
than adequate job of recognizing and
supporting student organizations.
The Multicultural Center
INBOX
UO sale of Westmoreland
is unconscionable
In an early interview after the pro
posed sale of Westmoreland was made
public, University Housing director
Mike Eyster stated, “I don’t know that
it will be a terrible shock. ”
I’ve lived here for nearly five years,
made friends and been grateful for the
low rent that makes living on my in
come possible. Now I’m losing this. Of
course I’m shocked.
I’m not sure which is more shock
ing, the news of the Westmoreland sale
or the way the University has chosen to
handle matters.
Officials show little concern for those
who live here. “Families” (defined as
those with children) are to be given “pri
ority” in housing, but that is it. Even as
suming that the existing housing is able
to hold all of the families and that the
families can afford the higher rent,
which is unlikely, that leaves the rest of
the residents house hunting in an in
creasingly expensive market. Why such
“non-families” are deemed beneath con
cern is quite beyond me.
In a meeting with residents, Eyster
said this is for the good of the Universi
ty, and for long-term benefits, some
times people have to be hurt in the
short term.
How is this action of selling West
moreland going to benefit the Universi
ty, either in the short or long term? After
all, GTFs are part of “the University.” As
students we bring in tuition money, and
as instructors we teach many of the in
troductory freshman courses. Short-term
or long-term, depriving us of affordable
housing is a bad move.
Jessica Greenlee
Graduate Teaching Fellow
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■ Editorial
Measure
would hold
city police
accountable
Eugene is currently in the middle of a spe
cial election that could determine the future
of community relations with city police:
Measure 20-106.
If passed Nov. 8, Measure 20-106 would
“amend the (city) charter to allow the city
council to hire and supervise an independent
police auditor, and to appoint a civilian review
board, to investigate or oversee investigations
of complaints involving police employees.”
Those in favor of Measure 20-106 argue
that, considering a string of sexual harass
ment issues within the Eugene Police De
partment, an auditor and review board out
side of the department are necessary to
analyze how the city investigates and re
sponds to complaints.
Those opposed to the measure claim that
20-106 should not pass because it violates
the city charter by mandating that the Eu
gene City Council, not the city manager, hire
the auditor and review board. They also
claim the measure’s costs are prohibitive.
Although potentially costly, granting the
council this narrow exception to the coun
cil-manager model of city government is
necessary to ensure a police review
process that is truly open and independent
of city administration. Moreover, we must
prevent momentum on this much-needed
legislation from dwindling.
We must ensure that the police properly
deal with departmental issues such as sexual
harassment and racial discrimination. Passing
Measure 20-106 will help guarantee the police
department responds to our complaints.
■ Quacks and Smacks
Student Government Edition
Quacks: To the Student Senate for peti
tioning the Constitution Court to remove
Senator Rahmat Rahmat, who has not at
tended any of the six Senate meetings or
held office hours. Although any student
could petition, the Senate shows merit by
working for students instead of protecting
one of its own.
Smacks: To the Student Senate for hold
ing executive sessions to discuss the merits
of candidates running for Senate treasurer.
There is no need for these discussions,
which do not center on academic or med
ical records, to be held behind closed doors
this year.
Quacks: To the ASUO Executive for ad
justing its Recognition Review Commit
tee’s practices and bylaws in response to
student suggestions.
Smacks: To the RRC, a well-intentioned
but seemingly useless experiment that has
used hours of meetings simply to adjust
groups’ missions and goal statements to fit
the proper template. Discussion among RRC
members has been scarce, with RRC Chair
man David Goward doing most of the talk
ing. This process needs to be streamlined.
Quacks: To the Student Senate for ad
dressing “unclassy” fan conduct. Although
measures may not be taken this year, ad
dressing this problem now will save
headaches, jostles and witnessing bears lit
on fire in the future.
Smacks: To student groups for voicing
last-minute concerns about the stipend
model to the Senate rather than at earlier
workshops held by the Executive.