Beastiality

Hidden within the depths of the ASUO lurks yet another beast: The Oregon Student Lobby. OSL managed to land itself a sizable 5.3 percent budget increase at the ASUOıs budget hearing on Feb. 12--an increase that Programs Finance Committee members couldnıt afford to give.

OSL was established in 1975 by the student government associations of the Oregon State System of Higher Education schools. Its purpose is to represent, serve and protect the interests of students through the lobbying of government, education of students and student leaders, and funding for student research and publications.

One of OSL's main objectives is to promote student empowerment. This objective is said to be accomplished by supporting student control over incidental fees. Ironically, students had no say or control over OSL's budget increase. The increase was passed with very little argument by the PFC board.

One of the PFCıs concerns was that U of O students would pay more due to its higher enrollment numbers than other schools and not receive more representation. Of the eight Oregon schools that fund OSL, the U of O will pay the most. Next yearıs budget proposal puts the U of O at 3o percent while other schools like WOSC pay only seven percent of OSLıs budget. The higher fees, though, do not entitle the U of O to have another representative on OSLıs board. According to OSLıs Executive Director, Ed Dennis, "We've been this way for 20 years and havenıt had any problems."

Each school currently has two representatives, and the numbers will remain the same despite the differences in funding. Each U of O student next year will pay approximately one dollar to fund OSL, more than any other Oregon college student.

OSL budgeted itself payroll increases for its Executive Director, Legislative Director, and Communication Director. Other increases were in the form of operational expenses. The total operational expense increase was 5.3 percent. The most irrational budget change that slipped passed the PFC was the proposed 33 percent ($1,000) decrease in research support.

OSL uses the research support money to survey student opinion to improve communication and representation on issues that affect state system students. If OSL is going to represent state system students before the Oregon Legislature, the State Board of Higher Education, the State Scholarship Commission and other state and federal decision makers, it needs to have all of the facts and opinions of the students represented. OSL's rationale behind the decrease was that they had found a way to administer the survey at a lower cost. Hopefully, the decreased cost will not affect students voices.

The decrease in the survey costs opened the door for the stipend increases. OSL will now provide benefits and assessments for its four full time employees. OSL employees also received an increase in medical, dental and vision coverage.

Throughout KWVA's PFC meeting, members made it clear that there was no more money left to give stipend increases. Co-Chairwoman Skye Brigner stated clearly to KWVAıs manager and the rest of the PFC, "We're broke basically, we don't have any more money to give increases."

The PFC was unable to fund many other groupsı stipend increases, including KWVA's. OSL was the exception. According to OSL, the stipend increase would "ensure that OSL would not lose its present communication and legislative directors to other operations that could afford to offer better salaries." The PFC asked for no proof behind this reasoning. KWVA on the other hand, had proof behind its need to retain students who may not be doing well in school. An increased stipend would be an incentive to stay on with the station. KWVA directly serves more students on campus than OSL. But the PFC didn't weigh either of the organizations' importance to students.

ASUO President Jen Williamson is on OSL's board of directors and presented OSL's budget along with Dennis. The PFC was given a quick overview of OSL's budget before questions were asked.

OSL, unlike other ASUO groups, does not have to submit a mission and purpose statement. When debate sparked about OSL's status, Dennis simply stated, "Can we be considered as a service, not a program?" OSL was slipped by the PFC as a line item instead of a subgroup. Because of this, either all or none of OSLıs budget is approved.

The ASUO's big excuse to the PFC was that OSL's fees are basically dues. OSL's dues and fees are $7,000 by themselves. The organizationıs budget contains many other line items that have nothing whatsoever to do with fees and dues. Items like travel, property taxes, special projects and a nice $7,300 phone line item. OSL not only pays its dues money to the Womenıs Rightıs Coalition and the Human Services Coalition of Oregon, but it also pays the United States Student Association $6,000 for organization membership.

USSA, otherwise known as the "Beast," is a national student lobby organization. The dues that OSL pays to USSA go directly to the national level, not the state level. In this sense, U of O and other Oregon students may be helping out those poor students in Tennessee with their Federal Grant protection. This in itself should take the words "Oregon Student" out of OSL's title.

The ASUO was easily able to avoid arguments against OSL's funding by not making the organization a subgroup, despite the fact that OSL has its own line items. Organizations like the International Student Association consider the smaller groups like the Taiwanese Student Union as a subgroup and not a line item, but the ASUO chooses not to do the same. And the PFC didnıt seem to mind.

PFC Co-Chairwoman Susan Anderson also brought up the fact that OSL has an outside bank account. "Fee funded organizations cannot have bank accounts," she said. But again, nothing was done.

The Emerald reported Dennis as saying that OSL's budget increase was mainly warranted by the fact that attendance at the U of O has increased, while attendence at other state universities has dropped. Dennis forgot to report the stipend, telephone, supply, printing and equipment increases. The increase was not based on attendance.

Dennis also found a way to use the Commentator as a pursuasion to give OSL it's increase. Dennis stated that OSL had been of service to the Commentator in the past by providing the Commentator with information regarding student rights and "frisking." In this sense, he was able to say that OSL gets along with everyone and is of service to everyone.

In truth, the Commentator only asked a few questions regarding students' rights. Dennis didnıt mention the second runner up award that OSL received in last years famed Commentator Official Hate List. The Commentator asked for answers, not help.

OSL will now receive more money than last year. Itıs staff will be higher paid and will receive more benefits. Other Oregon schools will also receive more benefits, compliments of U of Oıs student fees.

The ASUO has railroaded itıs baby right past the eyes of the PFC. If the PFC couldnıt afford to give stipend increases to on-campus student groups, then it shouldnıt have given an increase to an off-campus organization that had to use the Commentator for an excuse to get a funding increase. Kiss your George Washingtons good-bye. They'll be taking an extensive vacation.

Autumn Depoe is a staff writer for the Oregon Commentator