Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1983)
Hakanson catalyzes unemployment bill College President waits for Senate approval By Doug Vaughan Of The Print Dr. John Hakanson, Clackamas Community Col lege president, has taken an old issue and given it a new meaning as he is urging legislators to pass a proposed bill that will enable unemployed workers to enroll in training programs and still receive com pensation insurance. On Nov. 16 Hakanson sent out a memo purposing an approach to retrain loggers, millworkers, truck drivers, waitresses and many other positions he feels will be eliminated in the near future. “The newspapers got a hold of the memo and pretty soon legislators called to talk to me about it,” Hakanson said. “The next day I had lunch with a group of legislators to discuss bill. “One of them helped get the bill written up. It got in troduced and got a hearing from the House Labor Com mittee. It had another hearing and finally got passed,” Hakan son said. “Now it has to go through Senate. And I feel confident that it will be passed.” Hakanson has a definite concern for these particular unemployed workers because he feels that their jobs will be eliminated even after economic times get better. He also feels that in order to get future jobs they will need a higher level of math, communication, science understandings and computer literacy. “It (the bill) does not go as far as I wanted it to, but it helps,” the President said. “There will probably be things happening in the future to modify it even more.” One example that Hakan son gives is the timber industry. He says that it is projected that only 70 percent of the timber industry will be revived after the recession. “That means that three out of every 10 people in the timber industry will not find a job doing what they used to do,” Hakanson explained. The actual unemployment compensation laws vary from state to state, Hakanson said. The way they are interpreted and applied is solely in the hands of the states. The bill that Hakanson in itiated provides eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits for “dislocated workers” (people whose jobs will be eliminated) to par ticipate in training programs. Welfare has a similar plan, Hakanson said, but the benefits are canceled at the end of 93 days. Hakanson feels it is ridiculous to believe that a mother with children and who is unemployed will enroll in a training course because after 93 days her benefits will be cut and her family will starve. Hakanson grew up in timber environment and said that many of the people went Writers needed ext. 309, 310 Under 21 rock and disco, Every Sat. and Sun. noon to 4. $3 cover charge includes choice of hamburger or softdrink. 1949 N.W. 24th Portland, OR 97210 Phone 222-4087 Call us for our live entertainment schedule. LUNCH • DINNER • DANCING « BANQUETS Page 6 right to work after high school. And he says the ones who graduated from high school usually were not the academically inclined students. “These people will never do the same thing as they were doing,” he said. “They need training. Any occupation they go into they will need better math, English and work with computers. “Right now we are just giv ing them money and not asking them to do anything except live,” Hakanson said. “I did not grow up like that, I never had anyone just give me money.” Idaho has a plan that is now in affect, similar to Hakan- son’s project. Hakanson flew to Idaho for a day to see how theirs is working and discuss options with them. The one in Idaho does more than thè one Hakanson hopes to get passed in Oregon. “Theirs says if you are of fered a job you must stop the training program and take the job,” Hakanson said. “Also, if you do'not show up for the training program for a good reason you lose your benefits for that week.” The training programs can be taken anywhere, Hakanson feels, but he feels most com munity colleges currently have programs or are capable of establishing them. He feels that the day after it is passed there will not be 2000 people waiting at the College doors to get an education. He said that it will Dr. John Hakanson File Photo take a while to get rolling. “It is a sound idea. It has been an interest of people for a long time,” Hakanson said. “It has the support of the unions, unemployed people and educators-.-so I am expecting it will be passed. The bill has an emergency clause on it so as soon as the Senate passes it and it is Signed by the governor it will go into effect. “I cannot anticipate when it will pass, but I feel it should roll right along.” Foreign students find trouble assimilating into U.S. culture U.S.) because he thought that Despite this friendly en was a good way to get involved vironment it seems foreign There are 44 foreign and study English. However, students have the worse time students from nine countries at the Army stationed him in making friends with their tending Clackamas Communi Korea and he is still having pro American counterparts, thus ty College today. These blems getting used to life in they withdraw from the social students are trying desperately America. scene and confine in their not only to learn to speak When asked about the secluded shells. There are less English and cope with school most striking incident in his than 20 percent foreign work, but are also adjusting to transition, Brown told of how students patronizing the inter the drastic cultural difference of he bumped into a telephone national club or any of the the American society. pole and lost his front tooth in, other student organizations on Many of the students, who Hawaii when he first arrived campus. mostly come from second and there. “Where I come from girls “They (Americans) only third world countries, generally don’t wear bikinis,” Brown smile and say ‘Hi’,” one foreign like the school and admit that said. He also commented on student said. “I can’t make they are glad to be in America, how chauvanistic his people myself clear,” another added. but are having a tough time ad were and admitted that work Commenting on this attitude, justing. ing in the kitchen was one of Brown said, “They (other Jay Brown, a native of the biggest steps he had to take foreign students) can learn Korea, who moved here seven in America. In Korea, men de English better and quicker if years ago at the age of 21, said mand 90-100 percent of the they get involved.” An argument that is that there was no way he could authority Brown guessed. fully adjust to the American “Men are the bosses,” he said. brought up by the American Many of the foreign students is, when foreign culture, despite, his strenuous efforts. Brown has had to students also contend that students bunch up they usually change his name in the process Americans were generally very discuss matters familiar to nice people and most foreign themselves and it’s hard for of this cultural transition. “My real name was Woo- students have not encountered “outsiders” to get involved. jai Whan but I changed it any hostilities around or in the One problem that arises is because nobody could pro school. The cordial student foreigners wanting to maintain nounce it,” he said. Brown also teacher relationship was also at least part of their culture. served in the U.S. Army for something many of the They face a severe rejection four years (after he became a students did not enjoy in their from their people when they go i permanent resident of the countries. back home “Americanized.” By John Sagoe For The Print Clackamas Community College