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Ducks have to settle for Holiday Bowl | Section C An independent newspaper at the University of Oregon www.dailyemerald.com SINCE 1900 | Volume 107, Issue 71 | Monday, December 5, 2005 Emerald audits University records DPS audit An Emerald public records survey elicited varied responses test the University’s responsiveness to Oregon public records laws, which, for more than 30 raises issues from public officials at several University departments years, have entitled people to many govern- ment documents, no questions asked. These reporters, when possible, didn’t identify BY MEGHANN CUNIFF & JARED PABEN READ MORE ONLINE attorneys who work NEWS EDITORS themselves as members of the media, and of financial immediately below they carried backpacks instead of reporter’s University President Dave Frohnmayer re- For more information, see Frohnmayer still www.dailyemerald.com sponded to records requests as a University attor- haven’t responded RECORDS, page 5A ney, championed them as a state representative to a records request liability and enforced them as Oregon Attorney General. for his salary. RECORDS REQUESTED But a full three weeks after the Emerald con- On Nov. 14, the Emerald sent three The Oregon University System is ducted a records audit on the University, the reporters to various University departments to Staff meeting minutes for the psychology depart- ment: received. auditing the Department of HOW WE DID THE AUDIT the law requires because most students probably don’t know de- Department of Public Safety incident report: re- tails of Oregon public records laws. ceived. Public Safety’s operations On Nov. 14, the Emerald sent three reporters, Kelly Brown, Chris The idea of the audit was to test whether public officials release Budget records of the security costs for Finals Hagan and Emily Smith, to various University departments to test records that are clearly disclosable. The idea was not to start a fight Week at the Knight Library: received. BY JARED PABEN the University’s responsiveness to Oregon public records laws. over whether the records can legally be released. Budget documents for the Jordan Schnitzer NEWS EDITOR The idea of the public records audit was to see how public officials So the Emerald contacted Kevin Neely, from Oregon Attorney Museum of Art: received An Oregon University System office is con- would react if a student approached them in their offices and re- General Hardy Myers’ office; Jud Randall, Portland State Univer- October’s electricity bill for the EMU: received. ducting an audit of the University’s Depart- quested basic records, such as budget documents, sity’s adviser for The Vanguard student-run newspaper and a for- October’s water bill for the Student Recreation ment of Public Safety for the first time in at meeting minutes, salary information and utility bills. mer editor for The Oregonian; and Ryan Frank, a reporter for The Center: received. Oregonian. All three confirmed that the records requested least five years, according to the University The Emerald used forms and directions from the Society of Profes- and OUS. sional Journalists and from previous records audits conducted by should be disclosable. Gas costs for the past year for facility services vehicles : received. The Oregonian newspaper as a model. If the reporters were told to contact someone else or put a request The OUS Internal Audit Division is current- The Athletics Department’s contract with the ly auditing the public safety department’s The reporters didn’t carry notepads or wear press passes, and in writing, they did. If somebody a reporter needed to talk to was out Eugene Police Department regarding security parking operations, which is funded through most wore backpacks as further visual cues that they were stu- of the office, he or she returned later. at-home football games: not received. dents. When possible, they declined to give their names and identi- They didn’t take notes while in the presence of a responding official, parking permits, fees and citations. fy themselves as employees of the Emerald because Oregon laws but they took notes immediately after leaving the office. Documentation of University President Dave General Counsel to the University Melinda Frohnmayer’s salary: not received. don’t require them to give their names, employers or reasons for Contact News Editor Jared Paben or Editor in Chief Parker Grier wouldn’t say what prompted the audit wanting records. Howell at 541-346-5511 with questions about how the audit Travel expenses for an administrator’s trip to or whether missing funds triggered it. Calls They dressed and acted professionally, but they didn’t discuss what was conducted. Georgia: no records exist. and e-mails to DPS Interim Director Tom Hicks were not returned. Grier wrote that University Vice President for Finance and Administration Frances Report analyzes development options Dyke “communicated with all appropriate individuals and contacted OUS internal audit.” A study released by an urban Dyke issued a memorandum to all faculty and staff on Nov. 10, reminding them that the planning firm calls for a Policy on Financial Irregularities requires comprehensive property plan “employees of the Oregon University System Key to report known or suspected financial irregu- Already purchased larities to the appropriate department manag- BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF er at the time they become aware of an inci- Plans to purchase NEWS EDITOR dent. The department manager is then responsible for forwarding the report to the It’s a goal of the University administration institutional designated administrator in a to build a land bank in the east campus area timely manner.” for future administrations to use, and progress at fulfilling that goal has DPS AUDIT, page 12A been steady. The University hopes to build a sports arena on the Williams Bakery site, pur- chased in February for more than $22 mil- lion, and the UO Foundation bought the Joe Coalition will Romania car lot east of the bakery site in March for $5.2 million. Officials want to purchase the state-owned property across detail feelings from the car lot on Walnut Street, which Se- nior Vice President and Provost John Mose- ley said has been estimated to cost about against sale $3 million. This property acquisition is crucial to the University’s future development of the area, In a meeting Tuesday, students according to a report released by the urban will voice concerns to elected planning firm The Farkas Group. officials about Westmoreland CHRIS TODD| GRAPHIC ARTIST PROPERTY, page 8A BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF NEWS EDITOR The mayor of Eugene and the city manager UO professor develops new form of carbon will join the newly formed Save Westmoreland Coalition Tuesday night to discuss the Univer- Graphyne, a unique form of carbon created by professor Mike Haley, Forms of carbon sity’s intent to sell Westmoreland Apartments. could be used to improve optical communication networks - Found in nature - The Save Westmoreland Coalition is made up of representatives of various student and community groups that are opposed to the BY EVA SYLWESTER carbon atoms are arranged. Graphite is a series of University’s intent to sell the 404-unit complex. SENIOR NEWS REPORTER flat Y shapes that join to form repeating series of University student Tesia Blonski hopes the University chemistry professor Mike Haley hexagons. Diamond is a three-sided pyramid. The Diamond Graphite meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the made the front cover of Friday’s issue of the Jour- different atom arrangements result in different EMU Fir Room, will reiterate the coalition’s op- nal of Organic Chemistry for assembling a new physical properties. - Synthesized - position to the sale and will give more elected form of the element carbon. Haley created something called graphyne, officials a chance to hear student concerns. His research could potentially lead to improve- which is similar to graphite, but three legs of each ments in optical communications networks and hexagon are stretched out. “It’s basically just a public forum to be like even better batteries for everyday use. Jeremiah Marsden, a former doctoral student ‘this is exactly what the University has present- By itself, carbon appears in nature as who worked with Haley on the project, linked ed to us, and this is exactly why it doesn’t work graphite or diamond. these pieces of graphyne into a larger network Buckminsterfullerene Graphyne for us,’” Blonski said. The difference between these two forms of car- “Buckyball” Blonksi said the University’s plans to help the bon has to do with the shape in which the CARBON, page 3A CHRIS TODD| GRAPHIC ARTIST WESTMORELAND, page 4A CommentaryCommentary Monday, December 5, 2005 NEWS STAFF I I (541) 346-5511 In my opinion Editorial PARKER HOWELL EDITOR IN CHIEF SHADRA BEESLEY MANAGING EDITOR Thank you,Emerald,and goodbye MEGHANN M. CUNIFF JARED PABEN UO records NEWS EDITORS I went to a movie the other night the articles I’ve written concerning EVA SYLWESTER SENIOR NEWS REPORTER with a group of friends. It’s a new re- University Housing and the financial KELLY BROWN lease, “Jarhead.” A good ol’ war policies that some past and present KATY GAGNON accessibility CHRISTOPHER HAGAN movie. A few good explosions. Some housing officials say have hindered the NICHOLAS WILBUR NEWS REPORTERS nudity. All in all a decent flick. department and prevented needed ren- JOE BAILEY In a scene where soldiers are in the ovation and additions. Those stories EMILY SMITH midst of burning oil wells, one asks were a highlight of my Emerald career, PART-TIME NEWS REPORTERS needs to be SHAWN MILLER who else in the world gets to experience not because they were the best but be- SPORTS EDITOR what they’re experiencing right then. cause they involved an extensive SCOTT J.

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