OCR Text |
Show THE THE CHRONICLE'S DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE VIEW Child Care Climbs ASUU Priority List -- ost University of. Utan students have seen some-.on- e bring his or her child to class before. On a campus where the average age of the student population is 27, a little girl taking in a calculus lecture is not a rare sight With an abnormally older student body, which is more likely to have kids Utah has the largest number of children per capita in the nation child care is a serious issue. Obviously, with the number of children still attending classes, it is a problem that has not yet been solved. While the problem remains, the burden has started to decrease The Associated Students of the University of Utah will open its new child-car- e facility in the Emery Building this Thursday. With 80 addition slots for t-parents to fill, this center will those students who benefit directly need to juggle family and school at the same time. The greatest benefit to the new studen- center is the emergency drop-of- f care for students who just need help during that pesky afternoon class. For these students, this center will act as an academic savior, allowing them the time necessary to go to class without having to skip it to take care of the little ones. Still, the overwhelming majority will not reap the of student-parenbenefits of the new center. The Child Care Coordinating Office estimates that as many as 4,000 families need help, but the U and surrounding facilities only offer 685 slots, even with the opening of the new ASUU Child Care ts Center, It has taken diligent work from, the past three ASUU administrations to create the new facility. The cooperation of three different presidents is a testament to the seriousness of the issue. Still, ASUU spends $25,000 annually on child care, while it spends nearly $400,000 on the Presenters' Office. The Presenters' Office attracts entertainment to campus. While the U should continue to offer arts and entertainment, not only for students but the communi-t- y as well, it seems like a misuse of funds in light of the more pressing issue of child care. ASUU should be commended for what it has done, students should demand that it does more whether the money is siphoned from the Presenters' Office or some other campus entity. , Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because ot race, ethnic background, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. In order to fund the war, Bush decides to privatize the Army. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Parking Lawsuit Makes Valid Point Editor: The other day, I ran into the law student, Steve Rinchart, who's suing University of Utah's Parking Services, in the Union. He was talking to a group of three or four of us, and I thought what he had to say about some things is worth talking about. Basically, he senses an attitude that pervades the upper levels of the U's administration towards students: that they take them for granted and fail to look after their welfare or comfort like they should. He believes, as do I, that this indifferent attitude has existed in this university for years, and that it trickles down through campus departments and divisions all the way to people like the parking enforcement officers who he doesn't seem to like very much (not surprisingly). It seems to me that parking services is the biggest single example of this (he calls them the "evil enterprise"). Hearing what Parking Services has done over the past several years, I'm amazed that nobody else, from a student body of 25,000 strong, has risen to do anything about it. The Daily Utah Chronicle is 95 percent of the way students get information, and maybe they should publish an article on the changes that have been made in parking on campus over the past 10 years. It's shocking. It's too easy for us as students to be mindlessly boiled and taken advantage of without thinking about situations, or recognizing and resisting the impositions that we've been subjected to. As we love and are loyal to our school, I think it's important that we "resist and insist." We need to see some changes. CATHARINE SONDRUP Junior, Women's Studies Matheson Takes Strong First Step on 2 002 Path JAMES Office-holde- SEAMAN Chronicle Opinion Columnist at the Utah State Legislature Republicans dealt Rep. Jim Matheson, hand with redisricting. But despite attempts to place him in an district, Matheson will again triumph. Republican leaders succeeded in significantly increasing the number of conservative voters in Utah's 2nd Congressional District. For all state and county races, the average Republican performance in the 574 precincts comprising Mathe-son'- s old district was approximately 57 percent. His new district is more than 70 percent Republican. As a result, Matheson's " road to more treacherous. Yet he appears substantially will frustrate the GOP's brass, just as he did by trouncing Derek Smith last November. And Matheson's coming victory may do more than simply retain a lone Democratic seat in Utah's highly conservative congressional delegation. Though the current scenario looks bleak for Democrats, and the future remains ever uncertain, the apparent redisricting blackout yields a sliver of hope. A Mathcson-lea- d Democratic revival in areas outside of Salt Lake County is possible. This he First, Matheson must win wili T da In a general sense, 2002 will be the year of the incumbent. are likely to see strong a from suddenly public seeking unity and support national pride. The sentiment sweeping the country since Sept. n may become less passionate in coming months, but it will not fully subside. This does not mean the terrorist attacks buried partisanship. But for the near future, unity overrides divisiveness. As an incumbent, Matheson owns a distinct advantage over any contender the GOP hurls at him. Riding the public tide of support for American institutions, Matheson will not whither and die in rural Utah, despite Republican hopes. Matheson's new district includes all of eastern Utah, stretching south to the Arizona border. The district wraps around the southern end of the state, running from Colorado to Nevada. Compare this with the old second district, which citizens could sec entirely from behind the state Capitol. Until now, the most rural community in the 2nd district was Bluffdale, a pseudo-countr- y town where residents ride horses down the sidewalk and pretend Redwood Road doesn't run through their neighborhood. Now Matheson will represent authentic rural folk John Wayne who understand that communists are running the State Department. When was the last time these people voted for a Democrat? The year was 1980, to be precise. And the candidate's last name was Matheson. Scott Matheson was the last Democrat to inhabit the Utah governor's office. He enjoyed solid support from rural Utahns. And if there is one thing rural Utahns like, it's tradition. rs look-a-lik- es CHRONICLE OPINION EDITOR Voting for a Matheson will feel more comfortable than that old pair of cowboy boots. The Matheson family hails from Parowan, a community nestled in Iron County. Voters there will find Matheson the natural choice. A strong Democratic base also exists in Carbon County. The challenge of securing support in 12 additional rural counties will test Matheson's ability. But his moderate votes, matched with the family name and power of incumbency, make Matheson much stronger than Republican mapmakcrs anticipate. In the end, Republicans may get substantially more than they bargained for. When Matheson prevails 13 months from now, he will prove that Democrats can win outside Salt Lake County. Matheson will counter the propaganda that Republicans have flung around the state for years. Rural voters will realize that most Utah Democrats are moderate and sensible, contrary to the images of paganism and Bolshevism pinned on them by ridiculously partisan conservative mouthpieces. Instead of letting sleeping dogs lie, Republicans just gave rural Utahns the one thing they haven't had in years a strong Democrat to vote for. Beyond the vast strips of eastern and central Utah, much of it inhospitable land forsaken by God, the new second district also includes a portion of Utah County. Many call it the most conservative spot in the nation. Yet the Utah County Democratic Party has organized to the point that it is stronger than at any moment in recent memory. This absolutely does not mean the time is ripe for a takeover Republicans in Utah County still LAURA B. WEISS LETTERSCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU swept their Democratic rivals last November. But Matheson is now a focal point around who Utah County Democrats can rally. volunteer mobilization and voter turnout for Democrats are sure to benefit from Matheson's presence. Perhaps some residents will even do the unthinkable: overcome their fear and admit publicly that they are Democrats. When Matheson wins in 2002, securing loyalty from sections of rural Utah and northern Utah County, the seeds will be sewn for new Democratic life. If Matheson galvanizes enough support in his new district, he will have the credentials to run for governor in 2008, perhaps even 2004. Currently, the notion of a Democrat in the govBut no one ernor's mansion seems can be certain exactly what kind of Pandora's box the Republicans have opened here. The consequences of redistricting may not be immediate. Republican incumbents will benefit from the same national pride that will carry Matheson to But down the road, Republicans may regret giving voters in rural areas the opportunity to vote for Matheson. As for the man himself, Jim Matheson certainly did not ask for this burden. Being the savior of the Democratic Party in Utah was never his goal. And he has never mentioned any ambitions for governor or other higher offices. But sometimes you play with the cards you are dealt. Time may reveal that Utah voters seek a new deal because they have grown tired of a onesided political game. James welcomes feedback at: jseamanchroni-cle.utah.ed- u or send letters to the editor to: Fund-raisin- g, d. 581-704- 1 |