Each term, students’ inboxes are flooded with announcements, notifications and surveys from the University of Oregon. But perhaps the most important, said Lee Rumbarger, associate vice provost for teaching engagement, is the course Student Experience Survey, which gives students the opportunity to reflect on the past term. 

Through the survey, students can provide anonymous feedback to instructors on their learning experiences. The feedback is used to improve courses and teaching methods, provide department heads with clear data and aid the university in reviewing for promotion, tenure and teaching awards, according to UO’s website.

“This feedback matters to the faculty. It matters to the university. It’s a thing that students do at a busy time, but it is an important way to reflect on their learning, and it’s a gift to other students and to faculty and to the university to have those actionable and fair minded and concrete comments from them,” Rumbarger said.

According to Rumbarger, UO has faced challenges with getting students to fill out surveys, especially during and immediately after the 2020 pandemic. 

However, Rumbarger said, spring term saw the highest response rate for surveys since the pandemic at 26.1% and winter term saw the second highest, with 25.8%. 

A new incentive was introduced during the spring term to encourage students to participate by releasing grades one day early if a student completed all surveys or “took the proactive step of declining their surveys,” according to Rumbarger.  

Rumbarger also said some schools and colleges within the university have higher response rates, such as the Clark Honors College and the Lundquist College of Business. 

In 2007, UO implemented a numerical-based survey, which allowed students to rate the “quality” of the course and instructor on a scale of one to five, Rumbarger said. The system was redesigned in 2019 following national and internal research. 

“This national research showed that there is a lot of bias against women and faculty of color, kind of hiding in those numbers. And so our University Senate wanted to do something different in how we evaluate teaching, and that’s when the student experience survey was born,” Rumbarger said.

The new surveys encourage more “qualitative responses” on “specific elements of teaching,” according to Rumbarger, by asking whether 10 elements of an instructor’s teaching were beneficial to students’ learning, neutral or in need of improvement. 

The survey then goes on to ask students to reflect on which element was most beneficial and most in need of improvement and why.

Faculty members are able to review their responses and ratings over the years and create trends that they can use to reinforce and change their teaching styles.

“It’s really important to them to see this kind of specific positive things they can build on and specific things that are areas in need of change,” Rumbarger said. “So I guess the most important thing that happens is faculty read them and they change their classes based on what they see.”

The student experience survey is one of three sources used when faculty are eligible for review, promotion and awards. The other two include faculty-review surveys, where faculty can reflect on their own teaching, and peer-reviews, where fellow faculty review Canvas sites and sit in on courses.

“When people are evaluated for promotion or for tenure, there’s a determination made about whether somebody is a professional, inclusive and engaged, is a research-informed teacher, using those different data sources,” Rumbarger said.

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In August 2024, the University of Oregon partnered with United Kingdom-based recruiting agency Kaplan International Pathways in the hopes of rebuilding its international student enrollment after a steady decline since 2016. 

Following the Trump administration’s temporary ban on Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students on May 22 and the May 28 announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the “aggressive” revocation of visas from Chinese international students studying in “critical fields,” the mood around international enrollment has shifted.

In an email statement to The Daily Emerald, Erin Hays, associate vice president for Student Services and Enrollment Management and director of admissions, said that there have been conversations with prospective students regarding “the current landscape for international students” and how it “is sowing disruption, fear and confusion” for prospective students and their families.

“In our work with international students outside of Kaplan, which is the majority of our international students, we are receiving messages of concern, fear, distress, confusion (and) all the things you can imagine if you were in their situation,” Hays said.

In spring 2025, 818 international students were enrolled at UO, according to UO Spokesperson Eric Howald. Of those 818 students, 174 are from China, studying a variety of subjects or working in post-graduation optional practical training. 

While the exact definition of a “critical field” is unknown, it almost certainly includes the physical sciences.

Astronomy Lecturer and Outreach Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Physics Department Scott Fisher said that the presence of international students is a “pillar within science” and the potential loss of these students would be a blow to the university and the department.

“I would just lament the loss of any student; any student that loves physics, they’re my people. I’ve worked all my time here to develop young scientists, and so it’s a bummer in that sense,” Fisher said. “I am a believer that diverse histories and folk who come from different backgrounds bring scientific power. We’ve seen it.”

International students make up roughly 3.4% of the UO student body, with over 90 countries represented on campus. China, India and Canada have the highest number of enrolled students.

According to Fisher, the number of international students in the physics department is roughly proportional to the rest of the university, if not a little bit more.

“The loss of the students and the loss of anyone who wants to study science is a real kick in the pants, and the (loss of) international students is an added bummer because they often bring diverse viewpoints … (and) it behooves all of us to be exposed to those different ideas,” Fisher said.

Japanese international student Ayana Nagase said that the international community at UO brings diverse perspectives to campus and should UO not be able to enroll international students, everyone will feel the effects.

“International students have a purpose (in) what they learn in the university. For example, in my case, I’d like to learn about American history in UO from another perspective. However, if UO was unable to enroll international students, I cannot take a class,” Nagase said.

Besides the potential losses to the UO community, the institution would also take a financial hit. 

“International students pay the same rate as non-residents, $44,302 in the 2024-25 academic year. If we were to lose the ability to enroll the same 818 students that enrolled this year, as Harvard was threatened with, that total (is) more than $36 million. The exact number would depend on whether they are paying locked-in tuition from a prior year or the 2025-2026 rate,” Howald said.

The threat of tuition loss comes as the university announces “difficult” financial outlooks following funding and budget cuts, low out-of-state and international enrollment and a tighter-than-expected state budget. 

UO is in constant communication with international students and international partners and is “working to advise as best as we can,” Hays said. 

“One benefit we have as a quarter school is our late start to fall term provides more time to work out the visa policy issues. We are considering a variety of options should students not be able to enroll in the fall, such as deferring to winter or spring term or starting some coursework online,” Hays said. 

Hays said she also expects international students to look at other countries for schooling instead of the United States.

“In the first iteration of this administration in 2017, international student enrollments trended up in Canada, Australia, the UK and other countries. We are seeing those trends spike again now,” Hays said.

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On Friday, April 18, the University of Oregon hosted 1,468 prospective students and guests in the single largest Duck Day in school history, according to Micah Howe, associate director for prospective student programs

Duck Days are yearly campus events that allow admitted students and their guests to tour campus, attend academic sessions and learn about housing, financial aid and other campus activities.  

According to Howe,the total attendance across all 2025 Duck Day events was the second-largest in school history.

“We (UO) were slightly behind 2022 attendance, when we hosted 1,978 students. However, we were pleased with this year’s numbers since we only hosted five events, compared to six in 2022,” Howe said.

Elliot Hunt, a UO student ambassador, said working Duck Days is a “rewarding experience.”

“Everyone attending (Duck Days) is excited to be on campus because they’ve all been accepted. Both students and parents ask a lot more questions and stay engaged at a higher level on tours,” Hunt said.

A total of 4,838 people attended Duck Days in 2025, Howe said, with attendance ranging from 726 to 1,468 people per day. 

“Of the 1,947 students who attended a Duck Day in 2025, 1,089 (56%) have accepted our offer of admission and (have) submitted their intent to register at the UO,” Howe said.

Hunt said the biggest difference between the April 18 Duck Day and other Duck Days were the size of the tour groups and the location of the welcome remarks and activity faire, which were held at Matthew Knight Arena, as opposed to the Erb Memorial Union.

“My favorite part about admitted student days is getting to see all of the students who decide during Duck Days that they want to become a Duck,” Hunt said. “I remember on my second or third Duck Day that I had a student in my tour group who was still on the fence about attending UO, but at the end of the day during reception, I saw them again and they had decided after my tour that they were going to become a Duck in the fall.”

Preparation for Duck Days begins four years in advance, with registration opening in mid-January of each year. According to Howe, classroom reservations, coordinating with presenters, discussions over parking and shuttle options and finalizing marketing happen a few months before the first event. 

“Duck Days are especially popular with out-of-state families, so this allows time for them to make travel arrangements. We create staffing schedules, finalize room reservations and design printed agendas a few weeks before each event. Materials like folders, name tags and signage are organized a day or two in advance,” Howe said.

According to Howe, more than 75 faculty and staff members and nearly 100 student workers come together to host these “large-scale events.”

UO hosts other on-campus events and tours for admitted students other than Duck Days, such as Scholars Recognition Day, Connections and Oregon Information Sessions, among others.

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Following a two-year closure, Kalapuya Ilihi, a residence hall, is set to open in fall 2025 for the 2025 to 2026 academic school year.

Kalapuya Ilihi, which originally opened in 2017, temporarily closed in July 2023 to fix structural issues and cracks in several walls, The Daily Emerald reported. At the time, the University of Oregon filed a $7.5 million lawsuit against the construction companies that helped build the hall. 

According to UO’s website, features of Kalapuya Ilhi, which is named for the Indigenous peoples of the Willamette Valley and sits across the lawn from UO’s Many Nations Longhouse, include a maker-hacker space, multiple study and collaboration spaces and a community kitchen.

The residence hall was originally set to reopen one year later in fall 2024, but was delayed until fall 2025. 

In an email statement to The Daily Emerald, Michael Griffel, associate vice president of student services and enrollment management, said that visible changes to Kalapuya Ilihi include new flooring and flooring finishes, lighting, wall surfaces and painting. 

“The building looks great,” Griffel said. 

According to Griffel, Kalapuya Ilihi can house between 630 to 680 students.

Kalapuya is home to two Residential Communities and two Academic Residential Communities and a faculty member in residence, according to UO’s website.

The two Academic Residential Communications are the Art Academics Residential Community and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Academic Residential Community. 

The two Residential Communities are the Home Flight Scholars Residential Community and the Creative Practice Residential Community. 

Following the reopening, Griffel confirmed that 14 Resident Assistants have been assigned to the hall for the next academic year. 

Maverick Gagnon, an RA assigned to Kalapuya Ilihi for the 2025 to 2026 academic school year, said he is looking forward to the building reopening again.

“I’m really looking forward to (Kalapuya Ilihi) because of the views. I’m holding out hope that I either get a view of the tree and little hill or the grass lawn. I like that it (the building) is a bit tucked away from the bustle,” Gagnon said.

In addition to getting to live in the Kalapuya Ilihi, Gagnon said he’s also excited about his role as an RA.

“I’m most looking forward to cultivating a community and ensuring my residents feel welcome and safe,” Gagnon said. 

The extended renovation of Kalapuya Ilihi in 2024 meant further delays in the Hamilton-Walton Transformation Project, which included the demolition of Hamilton Hall. 

“I think the reopening of Kalapuya Ilihi is a good thing for the UO community because it gives students a different option for residents and it’s a good use of the already existing structures,” Gagnon said.

The post Kalapuya Ilihi hall set to reopen in fall 2025 appeared first on Daily Emerald.

After seven years at the University of Oregon Portland Campus, the Historic Preservation Program has returned to Eugene. 

The program, which is part of the School of Architecture and Environment from the College of Design, emphasizes hands-on learning and applying “academic study to field-based preservation work,” according to UO’s website. 

According to Historic Preservation Co-Director Chris Bell, the program moved to the Portland Campus in 2017 following an endowment by a donor and the promise of a dedicated space in the White Stag building, giving the program a “prideful place.”

“(We) really capitalized on that moment and built out a preservation suite. There was an entrance space, there were two offices for faculty, there was room for students to sort of gather and talk and there were lab spaces and classroom spaces. It really was an identity in its own right,” Bell said.

Historic Preservation Co-Director Larissa Rudnicki said that a motivation for returning the program to UO’s main campus was the “interconnectedness” Eugene gave to the interdisciplinary master’s program.  

“We (the Historic Preservation Program) were offering some (other) courses, but we had our own curriculum that we were trying to foster and some of these really fun classes that we would have loved to have offered, but perhaps didn’t have the capacity for at the time, were offered in Eugene,” Rudnicki said.

Bell said Eugene allows students from different majors to take classes in historic preservation, not just architecture. 

“We have an amazing set of students that are from anthropology, interior architecture, environmental design (and) multidisciplinary social sciences. That’s what’s cool; this program is the most welcoming and approachable type of learning,” Bell said.

Students in the program have the opportunity to focus on three concentrations: sustainable preservation design, cultural resource management planning and cultural heritage and history. 

According to UO’s website, classes include “the basics of identification and designation of properties for official listing, legal aspects of protection and regulation of the treatment of historic properties and the history of buildings and intangible traditions that make up our cultural heritage.” 

Examples of projects students have worked on in recent years, according to UO’s website, include conservation, restoration, identification and interpretation of historical properties, and reusing. 

Students also spend three to four weeks at the Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School. The Field School, according to Rudnicki, is a collaboration between Washington, Oregon and Idaho that allows for hands-on learning with state parks and State Historic Preservation Offices.

Rudnicki described a career in historic preservation as “unique,” as it allows people to look at both the past and the future. 

“We’re in this really interesting point in time right now where we can address what is done and the history that perhaps goes with it, or the significance, but then also navigate the future,” Rudnicki said. “I feel as though we are at this crossroads where Historic Preservation has a really lovely opportunity of being at the forefront of how to navigate some of these issues that we are tackling (in the) current day.”

UO’s Historic Preservation Program is the oldest preservation program west of the Rocky Mountains. According to Bell, the program has the “Oregonian spirit” that other such programs lack.

“If you’re going to figure out how to work on a building, you need to get all over it, need to understand it. You need to walk through it, maybe take some pieces off to see how it’s built,” Bell said. “The program has a strong suit in really making sure students leave here with a tactical sense of preservation.”

Graduates of the program work in a variety of places, including in the Park Services, agencies such as the Army Corps and the Bureau of Land Management, architecture firms, city planning and consulting agencies.

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On April 4, United Academics of the University of Oregon announced the official ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with UO administration. 

According to a social media post by UA, 76% of union members voted, with 97% in favor of ratification. 

In an emailed statement to The Daily Emerald, Associate Professor of Global Studies and Director of Graduate Studies Stephen Wooten said the union agreed to a “fairer” contract. 

 “We (as a union) agreed to a ‘fairer’ contract at this juncture with the expectation that the administration will take steps to ensure we get better, more appropriate compensation in the next round,” Wooten said.

UA and UO began bargaining for a new contract in February of 2024. Both parties reached a tentative agreement on March 30, 14 months after initial bargaining sessions began.  

The tentative agreement was reached just 14 hours before the union was set to go on strike at 9 a.m. on March 31.

A major sticking point in bargaining surrounded article 26: salaries. According to UO’s website, all tenure-line faculty, career instructional and research faculty and limited term faculty will receive a 4.5% salary increase across the board for year one. Faculty will receive different salary raises in years two and three. 

On April 2, union members received individualized ballots to vote for the ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The voting period ended on April 4. According to UA president Mike Urbancic, 812 members cast their votes out of 1,063 eligible voters. 

According to an email from the Office of the Provost, the university is “very pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that invests in faculty and supports the long-term financial well-being of the university.”

In an email to the union after voting closed on April 4, Urbancic thanked the Bargaining and Contract Action Teams for their “efforts (to) move the needle week by week, month by month.”

In the email sent to union members, Urbancic said that the tentative agreement was a “relief,” but the fight wouldn’t end with the new contract.

“This new collective bargaining agreement is a fairer contract, but not yet a fair contract. There is a lot of work still to be done to improve pay and working conditions in the next contract and beyond,” Urbancic said.

Similarly, Wooten also thanked the bargaining team in his email and said the new contract is just the beginning and that faculty are looking toward the future. 

“The faculty ratified the current agreement in good faith and with the expectation that more is to come in the future. Fair compensation for the faculty will help keep our academic community strong and effective,” Wooten said.

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Lulu West always loved sports, but found herself headed toward a career in biomedical engineering. That is, until she heard from a friend of a friend of her boss about the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Design program.

Growing up playing a wide range of sports, from flag football to swimming, West had her future planned out: go to the Olympics, then move to coaching with her side passion of art and design sprinkled in along the way.

Her plans shifted in high school when West discovered engineering and STEM, and started working in biomedical engineering and biomechanics in rehab sciences.    

An internship with the Lakeshore Foundation, a paralympic training facility based in Birmingham, Alabama, reignited West’s passion for sports. The discovery of UO’s master’s program specialization in sports design and a meeting with the program’s founder, Susan Sokolowski, at the end of 2022 sealed West’s fate.

“It’s been really interesting merging the two (passions) together. Like I can do sport with design and do both in the same sphere. (It’s) really fun,” West said. 

The Masters of Science in Sports Product Design, founded in 2016 by Sokolowski, is a two year masters program at UO’s Portland campus that aims to “develop graduates’ proficien(cy) in using science and creative problem-solving methods to innovate products that push the boundaries of society and the field of sport,” according to its website. 

According to Sokolowski, in the 1990s, the state of Oregon became a hotbed of sports design following the opening of Nike headquarters and was one motivator for the founding of the program.

“At the time when the program was developed, there really wasn’t a local academic program that trained people in the field, so most people, like myself, were trained as designers, maybe more generically,” Sokolowski said. “But there wasn’t really a program out there that specialized in sports products and also really applied science to the discipline of design.” 

With an emphasis on small student-to-professor ratios, the program admits up to 20 students with diverse academic backgrounds and areas of interests.

“Sometimes we admit engineers and sports scientists and other sort of tangentially related expertise because we feel product innovation comes at the cross hairs of intersectional thinking, of different ways of solving problems and looking at different aspects of sports products,” Solokowski said.

Research ranges depending on students’ specialization and interests, as the program gives students the flexibility to choose what they want to work on in the sports industry.

“We have students that come to our program that are very interested in working in specific sports, like running or basketball, but we (also) have students that are very interested in sizing and fit of all athletes, or sex and gender in sports, or kids,” Sokolwski said. 

Jacob Kauff, a first-year student in the program with a passion for running, always loved sports but never thought he’d be working in the industry in this way. 

“Running has done so much for me. So giving back to that sport, I’m really, really excited about,” Kauff said.

Kauff is studying aerodynamics in running, a field he feels is underexplored after Nike stopped researching ways to reduce aerodynamic drag on runners in 2016.

“There’s a big space there to be able to explore,” Kauff said. “I’ve been doing a lot of research into that and exactly what textures (in clothing) break up the air best and how that material innovation might be used for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”

West, who’s in her final year of the program, is working to create compression shorts for T63 athletes, which are unilateral above-the-knee amputees in track and field.

“I’m creating compression shorts that work with the prosthetic socket and fit better around the prosthetic socket to prevent fabric bunching, irritation (and) sand entry during long jump events,” West said. “Imagine the sand entering the shorts because they don’t fit well and getting stuck in the socket. Amputation sites are notoriously super sensitive.”

West is also working on creating a spiked shoe for T63 high jumpers, focusing on balance and stability when jumping off the sound leg.

Both Kauff and West spoke about the uniqueness of the SDP. As the only program of its kind, the MS incorporates science and research into design. Students take classes in research methodology, biomechanics and physiology to understand how the body works and how to apply it to their designs.

Kauff and West also praised Sokolowski, with Kauff calling her a “legend within the industry.” On Feb. 27, Sokolowski was one of 61 women named to USA Today’s Women of the Year list.

“Being able to learn and get feedback directly from her is such an honor and such an opportunity and her expertise is something that I really appreciate,” Kauff said.

When reflecting on what the program has taught them, both students commented on the fast-paced environment of the curriculum and how sewing was one aspect of the design process they had to learn very quickly. 

“Learning how to break (the process) down into discrete (steps), research, getting athlete insight, creating a plan, sketching, mood board (and) ideate… that kind of structuring of the creative process I think is the biggest thing that I’ve learned so far,” Kauff said.

Moving forward, Kauff is looking to continue researching aerodynamics and energy return while West is hoping to work in innovation for adaptive athletes after graduation. 

With a large workload, the program is demanding but ever-evolving, as, according to West, each cohort experiences different things as the program grows to support students’ needs and feedback. 

“I love it. I don’t regret a second of it,” West said in reference to the program.

The post How UO Portland’s MS in Sports Product Design is changing the sports world appeared first on Daily Emerald.

The Emerald Media Group Board of Directors has selected Tarek Anthony to be the 2025 to 2026 Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Emerald.

Anthony, a current sophomore studying journalism and political science, said he has always been interested in journalism and joined his high school newspaper as a news reporter at the end of his freshman year. Anthony joined the Daily Emerald in 2023, one month before starting at the University of Oregon as a freshman. 

“During my senior year (of high school), I got into this pace of cranking out local political coverage, which got me really excited about journalism and firmed up my choice to major in it,” Anthony said. “When I was considering colleges and particularly UO, I frequently looked at the Emerald and would joke about how someday I would want to be EIC there. Now I am applying, so it’s kind of full circle.” 

Anthony is the current Investigations Editor and Newsletter Producer at the Emerald, a position he said is “incredibly rewarding.” Anthony previously worked for the news desk covering crime and government. 

“Running a desk has been one of the most challenging yet formative and enjoyable experiences of my life. More than the journalism itself, learning how to manage a team of 10+ people with different work styles and personalities has been an invaluable experience, one that I can carry forward to an EiC role and any leadership position I take on in the future,” Anthony said. 

As the Daily Emerald Newsletter Producer, Anthony said he gained skills he didn’t have before. Everything from experience with headlines, audience engagement and analytics to email marketing and refining his news judgement. All things, Anthony said, that will help him make “more informed editorial decisions.” 

Current Editor-in-Chief, Tristin Hoffman, said that while the position can be difficult at times, she is fully confident in Anthony’s ability to lead the publication and that his passion for journalism is “infectious.” 

“With his knowledge of public records, journalism ethics and devotion to impactful reporting as Investigations editor, I’m positive his focus on these qualities of journalism will help lead the Emerald newsroom to new heights this upcoming year,” Hoffman said.

With over 54 articles and counting for the Emerald, Anthony credits the experience gained from hard news reporting and in-depth coverage for giving him a more holistic perspective on news and storytelling. Though difficult to choose just one, Anthony said his favorite stories so far are a profile on Jake McGrew and a story on Douglas Barr.

“I really enjoyed doing my Jake McGrew Ukraine profile because it was one of the most moving interviews I have taken part in. I think my proudest one though, would be the Douglas Barr story because of the immediate impact it had on the community,” Anthony said. 

Anthony said his motivations for running for EiC are, among other things, to improve and grow the publication.

“I truly believe that we provide some of the best coverage in the city and with increased competition, I want to help the Emerald continue to improve and grow. It is also somehow my last year at the Emerald already, and so I really can’t think of a better way to close out my college experience helping to lead a publication I value so dearly,” Anthony said.

Anthony has a goal of securing a digital-first approach for the Emerald. With a print redesign occurring under Hoffman, Anthony said, attention can be shifted to online content. Anthony also hopes to build up alliances with other Big Ten student newspapers to strengthen student publications as a whole.   

In a message to the Daily Emerald, Anthony encouraged staff to be the best that they can be and said he can’t wait to continue working and expanding the Emerald.

“Every day, I’m amazed by the creativity and talent in our newsroom. The work you all produce, whether it’s breaking news, in-depth investigations, compelling podcasts or sharp visuals, deserves to be seen. That means strengthening our storytelling, amplifying our reach and making sure our journalism has an impact. Whether through strategic coverage, stronger distribution or innovative formats, I want us to keep pushing forward,” Anthony said.

In a message to UO and greater Eugene community, Anthony said he hopes to continue to build trust between the publication and the community and thanked the viewers for the readership and engagement given to the Emerald.

“Every day, I am honored to bear the responsibility of bringing news to the UO and Eugene community. Trust is at the core of everything we do. You count on us to report with accuracy, integrity and accountability, and we don’t take that lightly,” Anthony said. “Our newsroom strives to be a trusted source, a critical watchdog and a reflection of the community we serve. Thank you for reading, engaging and challenging us to be better. We do this for you, and we couldn’t be prouder to serve this community.”

The post Tarek Anthony selected as next Daily Emerald Editor-in-Chief appeared first on Daily Emerald.

On Jan. 27, members of the University of Oregon Student Workers Union voted to proceed with a strike authorization should progress not be made in ongoing mediation with UO administration. 

The Daily Emerald has provided insight into what a potential student workers strike would mean for students.

What are UOSW and UO currently bargaining for, and what are the sticking points?

UOSW and UO administration began bargaining for a new labor contract in May 2024 and are currently in the mediation phase of the process. Proposals for the new contract address pay, discrimination and healthcare, among other things. 

According to Izzie Marshall, a student worker in the Health Services on campus and member of the UOSW bargaining team, several sticking points include fair and timely compensation as well as grievances and arbitration articles.  

Grievance and arbitration allow employees to file grievances against employers if they feel that a part of their contract is violated, a third party then helps investigate and resolve the dispute.

Fair and timely wage compensation refers to fair payment that reflects the work being performed and delivered in a timely manner. Current UO student workers are paid between $14.20 to $18.00 per hour, according to the 2023 to 2024 Student Wage Rate. The proposal from UOSW would increase student wages to a minimum of $24 per hour.

“These are basic protections that student workers deserve, and I hope that our fellow students (and) our fellow community members stand with,” Marshall said.

Where is UOSW and UO administration currently in the bargaining process, and what is the most recent update?

While in mediation, UOSW and UO are presenting and negotiating proposals. The process is supervised and facilitated by a state-appointed mediator.

Eight tentative agreements have been reached between UOSW and UO with 33 current proposals and counter proposals still on the table, according to the UOSW list of proposals. 

Most recently, according to Marshall, the two sides came to a tentative agreement on Feb. 19 on the article surrounding discipline and discharge, which included just cause. 

Discipline and discharge means that an employer cannot punish or fire an employee without “just cause” or adequate reason to do so.

Marshall and UOSW consider this agreement to be a “huge win” for the union. 

Should UOSW go on strike, when could it potentially begin?

The exact timeline for a potential strike is still unknown and something both sides are hoping to avoid.

“It’s all up in the air, and we are wanting to continue to bargain in earnest with the university as long as the university is showing they’re also willing to bargain in earnest as well. The earliest that our union members could go on strike is early spring term, but again, it’s something that our members have to decide to do and vote to authorize,” Marshall said.

There are several steps in the bargaining process, which include bargaining, mediation and a 30-day cool-down period.

In an email statement to the Emerald, UO spokesperson Eric Howald said of the ongoing negotiations, “We value our student employees and their meaningful contribution to the university’s operations. We are committed to the negotiations with them and believe, in the end, we will come together for a good contract to provide consistency and guidance to students and supervisors.” 

How long could a potential strike last?

According to Marshall, a strike would last until an agreement is made between the university and the union.

“The strike would last until an agreement is made. If the university agrees to a fair contract with us and then the agreement is ratified by our members, (the strike would end),” Marshall said.

Are union members doing anything to prepare students for a potential strike?

“We are doing a lot of organizing on the ground. We recently held our big open membership meeting (and) hundreds of student workers agreed to hold a strike authorization vote if necessary. Right now, hundreds of student workers are talking to each other to pledge to vote in the strike authorization vote, if needed, and to strike, if needed,” Marshall said. 

A strike authorization is a vote that gives bargaining members the ability to call a strike. 

How will everyday students be impacted by a potential strike?

According to Marshall, a strike is a last resort if the university does not engage with the union for a fair contract; but should it happen, adequate notice and preparation time would be given by the union beforehand. 

“The bottom line for us is that the goal is not to strike. The goal is to win a fair contract,” Marshall said. “It comes down to how the university works with us, and how they keep negotiating with us; and we hope that our fellow community members and students stand with us if we strike because these are for basic protections that we’re fighting for.” 

Is the university expected to hire “scabs”?

A “scab” is a student hired by the university to take the place of a striking student worker or union member.

“It’s entirely possible that the university will try to hire students to try and replace student workers if we go on strike. If that happens, then everybody will get a bad deal… The thing is, we’re fighting for a contract that will create better working conditions, not just for student workers working now but for the future and beyond,” Marshall said.

Where on campus do students work?

According to Marshall, there are 60 different departments of student workers across campus, ranging from dining halls to the museum.

“We’re everywhere on campus,” Marshall said. According to Marshall, places students work include, but are not limited to:

• Resident assistants
• People who help run programs in the EMU
• Tutors
• Teaching assistants
• Research assistants
• Undergraduate students working for an academic department on campus
• Students who work at the Rec Center
• Childcare
• Health services
• Campus planning
• Facility management 
• The Education Department
• Enrollment
• The Honors College
• Housing
• Journalism
• The museum
• Law 

“Resident assistants, people who help run programs in the EMU, tutors, teaching assistants, research assistants, undergraduate students working for an academic department on campus, rec workers, some student workers work in childcare, health services, campus planning, facility management, the Education Department, enrollment, the Honors College, housing, journalism, the museum (and) law. We’re everywhere on campus,” Marshall said.  

Union members can cast their ballots in the strike authorization vote, which opens March 3 and runs through March 14, according to a post on Instagram. 

Marshall said they hope students and community members can understand why UOSW is fighting for a fair contract and why a potential strike could happen.

Correction: A correction has been made to this article that there are 33 current open articles instead of 54.

The post Everything students should know if UOSW votes to strike appeared first on Daily Emerald.

Updated 6:05 p.m.

Howald confirmed that the person injured by the fallen tree was a student.

The condition of the person is still unknown, according to Howald.

Updated 5:10 p.m.

UO released a second alert at 3 p.m. warning students to avoid trees “as rain and wind continue in the Willamette Valley.”

The university has closed all pathways through Pioneer Cemetery and is urging students to “use caution (when) traveling around and near campus.”

The alert also said that campus operations crews and arborists are continuing to clean and remove debris and are addressing safety hazards. 

According to the National Weather Service, a wind advisory has been issued until Tuesday at 4 a.m. as an atmospheric river brings strong winds and heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest.

Trees in the greenspace between Friendly Hall and Fenton Hall were “downed” in a “current windstorm,” injuring one person, according to a University of Oregon Alert sent via email.

“One person was injured by a falling tree this morning. They were transported to the hospital,” the alert said.

The alert also urged students to avoid the area between Franklin Blvd. and 13th Ave., and Friendly Hall and Fenton Hall. 

“Barriers and caution tape are in place. Please respect them and take alternative routes,” the alert said.  

Eugene Fire Department responded at 11:03 a.m. to a “rescue operation” on 1201 Old Campus LN, where the injury and fallen trees took place.  

It was not made immediately clear whether the injured person was a student or not, according to UO Spokesperson Eric Howald. 

Howald also said the condition of the injured person is not yet known. 

This is a developing story.

The post One person injured by a “downed” tree outside Friendly and Fenton Hall appeared first on Daily Emerald.