No matter where you are on the University of Oregon campus, construction is visible. You can see it when you’re walking down 13th Avenue, passing the newly built walls of what will eventually be Tykeson Hall, staring up at the large yellow crane looming over Lillis Hall.

You can see it when you’re driving down Agate Street, peeking over the small fence at what used to be Historic Hayward Field, but is now reduced to a large open space with dump trucks and debris spilling onto the road.

You can see it on University Street, as you’re exiting the health center. Or across the street, as you’re entering the financial aid office, which has been temporarily relocated due to construction in Oregon Hall.

While the construction may be a nuisance when commuting to class or appointments, is it  impeding students’ ability to learn?

Riley Christensen, a UO senior majoring in psychology, has multiple classes near the heart of campus, where Tykeson Hall is currently halfway done being built. Christensen says the most frustrating aspect of the construction is how distracting it is.  

“It’s difficult to hear what the professor is saying, and she occasionally has to stop her train of thought to wait for a break in the noise,” Christensen said.  “And I can almost never hear what a classmate is saying during discussion.”

Christensen’s sociology professor, Elaine Replogle, says that while students haven’t directly complained to the department head, the noise from construction has impacted her ability to hear students in the classroom.

“The construction is making my job a bit harder,” Replogle said. ”It was worse earlier in the term, when we wanted to keep the windows open but had to close them because the construction noise was so loud.”

Tykeson Hall, which broke ground in October 2017, is a two-year venture that will end in a four-story College and Careers building designed to increase accessibility to student advising, as well as help with post-graduation job placement. In late 2017, UO’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved an $11 million budget increase in order to add a basement to the building.

An early concern regarding construction on Tykeson Hall was the displacement of nearly 40 parking spots, mostly reserved for faculty and staff.

James Shephard, a Clarks Honors College courtesy professor of law who teaches for one term a year, says that while the noise doesn’t bother him too much, he did have trouble parking during the beginning of the year.

“I’ve lived in big cities before, so noise isn’t anything new,” Shephard said. “But parking around UO has always been an issue.”

The UO School of Law is no stranger to a loss of parking spots. When demolition of the historic Hayward Field began in July, Agate Street, which separates the law school from Hayward Field, gave up dozens of street parking spots. A number of trees that lined the street leading up to 18th were also lost.

Nicole Vetter, a second year UO law student, says she misses the view from the law library.

“The worst part about the construction is having to stare at it from the library instead of getting to look at the pretty trees that used to be there,” Vetter said.

Vetter, who does most of her studying in the library with an expectation of silence, can’t seem to escape the noise either.

“I can hear the trucks and the machines working,” Vetter said. “It’s annoying when I’m really stressed and trying to get work done.”

The Hayward Field construction, with a strict deadline of 2021, will end just in time for the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships. Eugene, which reportedly bypassed the usual bidding process, will be the first U.S. city to host the event since its beginning in 1976.

Construction on campus is nothing new. Siobhan Mead, who began her studies at UO in 2012, recently graduated in 2016 and remembers construction through the entirety of her time at school.

“They were renovating the EMU, which was hard to miss because it’s so central to campus,” Mead said. “Plus the constant student housing complexes popping up.”

While Mead said she missed having access to the rec center for most of her time at UO, she said she’s optimistic about the construction and the future of the campus.

“There is so much happening on campus, I never focused on the construction,” Mead said. “It’s really nice having new facilities in the end.”

Erica Daley, associate dean of finance and operation in UO’s law school, is also excited about the end result of this constant construction.

“The law school is pretty well-insulated, I don’t really hear much of the construction,” Daley said. “But I can’t wait to hear the roar of the crowd once the new stadium is built. That’s what I miss the most about the old field.”

The post Constant campus construction bothers students of today to benefit students of tomorrow appeared first on Emerald Media.

As flu season approaches, the University of Oregon Health Clinic wants to make sure flu vaccinations are widely available to both students and faculty by opening pop-up flu shot clinics at various locations on campus. The Health Clinic already offers flu shots during all open hours.

Thursday, Nov. 1, will mark the second of four pop-up flu shot clinics. All UO students, faculty and staff can get a shot in the Recreation Center bonus room located in the lower left of the building facing the turf, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Students are required to bring their UO ID.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to avoid the spread of flu-like viruses, such as Influenza, is by getting vaccinated every year. The most common way people contract the flu is from exposure to other people with flu-like symptoms.

Aside from vaccinations, the best way to curb the spread of viruses is daily preventative actions, such as handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, as well as wearing masks when sick with cold symptoms. Face masks are provided at the UO Health Clinic.

Flu shots for students will cost $20, which can be billed to their DuckWeb account or be paid upfront with cash or check. The UO Health Clinic will also bill outside insurance upon request if the student has an insurance card with them at the time of service.

If someone has an egg allergy, the UO Health Clinic recommends getting flu shots from a healthcare provider, as opposed to the flu shot clinic. 

Below are the dates and times of the flu clinics.

Thursday, November 1, 2018, 7:00–10:00 a.m., Rec Center Bonus Room (lower level facing the turf fields)

Thursday, November 8, 2018, 7:00–10:00 a.m., Ford Alumni Center’s Giustina Ballroom

Thursday, November 29, 2018, 7:00–10:00 a.m., EMU Crater Lake Room North

The post ‘Pop-up’ flu shots available throughout November at various campus locations appeared first on Emerald Media.

Only 10 years ago, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 played a significant role in electing Barack Obama. The turnout for youth voters in the 2008 elections was the highest since the government started keeping track in 1972. But the 2014 midterm elections saw the lowest number of voters of the same age group in over four decades.

“Young people, historically, don’t show up for midterm elections,” said Alison Gash, a political science professor at the University of Oregon. “Are groups that don’t normally vote going to be voting this year? That’s the question.”

Regardless of that declining trend, experts say this year will be different. The 2018 midterm elections are projected to see somewhere between 45 to 50 percent total voter participation, according to an NPR interview with Michael McDonald, a professor from University of Florida who studies voter turnout. This would make 2018 the highest midterm election turnout since the 1960s, a time in American history wrought with social and cultural imbalance.

Even if voter participation is higher than usual, that doesn’t necessarily mean that young people are the cause of the increase. The big question, according to Gash, is whether or not young people will be represented in the projected increase.

Early voter projections can never tell the whole story, according to Gash. “The voter turnout projections are all based on pretty anecdotal evidence. So you never really know until the day-of.”

The 2018 midterm elections come at a time of increased polarization among Americans struggling to come to terms with a Trump presidency. The divide is evident in Oregon, with polls predicting Governor Kate Brown only narrowly beating Republican candidate Knute Buehler — who’s attempting to become the first Republican governor in Oregon since 1982.

According to the Oregon secretary of state voter registration and participation statistics, 70.9 percent of registered voters participated in the 2014 midterm elections. This is much higher than the national average of that year, which sat at 36.4 percent, the lowest in 70 years.

While it may be especially important for students to vote in this year’s election, Gash would argue that it’s always important to vote if you want to live in a working democracy.

“I don’t think there is an argument to be made that voting isn’t important,” Gash said. “Every vote counts and that becomes especially true in district elections. When you’re talking about members of the House of Representatives, you’re talking districts as opposed to states, and so the smaller the population, the more that each vote counts.”

The elections, still two weeks away, aren’t necessarily a national guage of where the country stands in regards to the ever-looming 2020 presidential election. It is, however, a chance for young people, and the country as a whole, to say what they are looking for in leadership and craft the country they want.

– By Donny Morrison

Oregon’s 5 ballot measures and what you should know

Oregonians will be filling out their ballots on five new measures with topics ranging from taxes on groceries to preventing public funds from being spent on abortions. Here is what students should know about these measures:

Measure 102: Housing  — Measure 102, titled the “Removes Restriction that Affordable Housing Projects Funded by Municipal Bonds be Government Owned Amendment,” is a constitutional amendment lifting the ban on local governments working with nonprofits and small businesses to put more money towards affordable housing in their communities. This is in an effort to help Portland’s homeless crisis; however, some are saying that legislators wrote a flawed amendment that does not include what constitutes affordable housing or who would be in charge of auditing these projects.

In Support: Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Defend Oregon, gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler, Oregon Food Bank, Meals on Wheels People

In Opposition: The Bike Party (a self-described political organization advocating for “safe bicycling and sustainable communities locally and worldwide.”)

Measure 103: Taxes on Groceries — known as the “Ban Tax on Groceries Initiative,” this amendment would prevent any enactment or increase on state or local taxes, fees or sale assessments when buying groceries in Oregon. Oregon doesn’t have a statewide sales tax, but there is also nothing that prevents the state legislature from creating one, which supporters say could harm lower and middle income families. Opposition says that the measure is unnecessary and is poorly written, with many tax loopholes that affect everything from Medicaid to the Bottle Bill.

In Support: Northwest Grocery Association, gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler

In Opposition: Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Defend Oregon, Nike, Democratic Party of Oregon

Measure 104: Budget — The “Definition of Raising Revenue for Three-Fifths Vote Requirement Initiative” would require a three-fifths, or supermajority, vote from state lawmakers to pass a revenue-raising bill including tax breaks like exemptions or credits. Those in support say it’s intended to help small businesses and homeowners by closing loopholes that are being taken advantage of, creating tax hikes. Those in opposition say that this would hurt those who rely on revenue, like schools, and that it would make it hard to reevaluate tax subsidies.

In Support: Gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler, former Oregon Representative John Davis, Oregon Association of Realtors, Oregon Business and Industry  

In Opposition: Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Nike, Democratic Party of Oregon, Oregon League of Conservative Voters, Oregon Center for Public Policy

Measure 105: Immigration — the “Repeal Sanctuary State Law Initiative” would repeal the law that forbids using state resources to apprehend anyone violating federal immigration laws. Voting yes would repeal Oregon’s sanctuary state status and would get rid of Oregon’s ‘anti-profiling’ law that was passed in 1987 by both Republicans and Democrats.

In Support: Oregonians for Immigration Reform, Gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler, Federation for American Immigration Reform, Stop Oregon Sanctuaries

In Opposition: Oregonians United Against Profiling, Nike, Columbia Sportswear Company, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, American Civil Liberties Union, Defend Oregon

Measure 106: Abortion — “Oregon Ban Public Funds for Abortions Initiative” would prevent public funds from being spent on abortions in the state of Oregon, with the exception of medical necessity or federal law requirement. Supporters are saying that it only limits what money can be used for abortions, and opposers say that it targets low-income Oregonians. Oregon is one of only 17 states that uses state money to provide abortions to women who are eligible for Medicaid.

In Support: Oregon Right to Life PAC, The Oregon Catholic Conference, Pregnancy Resource Centers of Central Oregon, Precious Children of Portland, Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

In Opposition: No Cuts to Care, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, ACLU of Oregon, Democratic Party of Oregon, Catholics for Choice

– By Erin Carey

ASUO brings student voices to the ballot box

After years of record low turnout by young voters, ASUO has been working to register University of Oregon students.

Over the last three weeks, ASUO organized voting registration, encouraged students to update their information and delivered the registration cards to Lane County Elections. ASUO registered 4,345 students in the first two weeks of school, surpassing their goal of 2,500.

ASUO State Affairs Commissioner Emily Chan says these numbers are important and that it is crucial that voter turnout continues to increase.

“Even if the decisions aren’t affecting you, it is affecting your community,” Chan says. “[It] is a civic duty, an honor and a privilege to vote, and we forget that.”

In recent years, voter turnout for younger demographics has decreased sharply and according to the Washington Post, turnout among those from ages 18 to 29 fell 25 percentage points between 2012 and 2014. Youth Service America, a non-profit that partners with organizations to help young people engage in civic matters, says that some of the biggest barriers for registering students to vote are not understanding registration deadlines and ID requirements.

However, the Washington Post reported that college students are easier to target because they live in heavily populated campuses.

Chan said she is optimistic about young voter turnout.

“People are turning out because they’re realizing that voting does matter, contrary to the popular rebuttal of, ‘my vote doesn’t make a difference,’” Chan said. “Voters hold elected officials accountable and decide on whether or not ballot measures should be new laws.”

Chan, who participated in ASUO’s “Vote or Vote” campaign, said this year’s elections are particularly important for UO students.

During the week leading up to Oregon’s voter registration deadline on Oct. 16, 2018, students, staff and volunteers with Vote OR Vote manage a table on the UO campus where people can register. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

“This year, we’ll be electing our governor — among other representatives — but the governor in particular since they appoint UO’s Board of Trustees,” Chan said. “Our Board of Trustees helps decide how much students’ tuitions are. Also, our state legislators impact how much money the state could give our university, which is the deciding factor on how much tuition goes up.”

Freshman Sarah Mae McCullough said she did not think about changing her address when she arrived at college but wants to be able to keep her voice through voting.

“I knew that it would be a good idea to update my address but I was pleasantly surprised by how involved ASUO was in encouraging people to vote,” says McCullough. “Especially since voter turnout tends to be low among young people and voting is really important.”

– By Georgia Greenblum

How Californians at UO can vote

For the close to 5,000 University of Oregon students from California, it is not too late to register to vote in their home county elections. According to the California Secretary of State’s Office, California residents living out of state can register online by midnight of Oct. 22. When registering, applicants should mark they want a vote-by-mail ballot.

Voters should be careful to distinguish between their home address and mailing address. Home address refers to the voter’s permanent address in California, while mailing address means the temporary address in Oregon.

Out-of-state California voters must also provide some form of ID when they register: a driver’s license number, California identification number or the last four digits of one’s Social Security number.

If the California resident is already registered to vote in California, they still must fill out a vote-by-mail application which needs to be received by Oct. 30. Voters can choose to have their ballot mailed, faxed or emailed to them, according to the California secretary of state’s website.

Once ballots are filled out, voters can return them to their California polling office by mail, in person to their county’s polling office, in their county’s drop box or recruit people to deliver them on their behalves.

– By Franklin Lewis

The post A student’s guide to voting appeared first on Emerald Media.

In a three-day period between Friday, Sept. 21 and Monday Sept. 24, there were 23 opiate-related overdoses reported in the Eugene-Springfield area. According to The Register Guard, 16 of the victims were treated with Narcan, a brand of the drug Nalaxone,  which is commonly used to reverse the effects of opiates.

There were no reported deaths.

According to University of Oregon Police Department spokesman Kelly McIver, UOPD officers carry two doses of Narcan while on duty.

“UOPD had three Narcan saves in the community in the last year,” McIver said. “The fact that Narcan can be deployed by officers is a big advantage over a few years ago, as it was previously available only from a paramedic.”

HIV Alliance, a Eugene-based non-profit that supports people living with HIV/AIDs and works to prevent the spread of disease, has been instrumental in supplying Lane County and the surrounding regions with Narcan. Their syringe exchange program is responsible for handing out Narcan and clean syringes to IV drug users.

“For the past year and a half, we’ve helped law enforcement and community members become trained in the safe administration of Narcan, as well as making it widely available to the people who need it,” said Renee Yandel, executive director of HIV Alliance. “We don’t charge a fee for the Narcan we give out, whether it’s injectable or the nasal spray.”

Since February of 2018, Eugene police have been encouraged, though not required, to carry Narcan nasal spray. The department hosts optional training sessions to help officers become familiar with the drug and its safe administration. Just last week, HIV Alliance provided Cottage Grove PD, 22 miles south of Eugene, with their first batch of Narcan.

According to the Springfield Police, the recent spike in opiate overdoses is due to the widespread availability of Fentanyl in its pure form and heroin cut with fentanyl. HIV Alliance, as of this month, will be offering Fentanyl test trips at the syringe exchange seven days a week.

On Oct. 12, University of Oregon’s Students for Sensible Drug Policy group requested the HIV Alliance provide 50 nasal Narcan kits to have on campus. Chapter president Garrett Cantor believes that it’s important to have Narcan available on campus.

“I think everyone who is able to should carry Narcan with them,” Cantor said. “It’s something very easy to do that can save a life. You don’t have to be addicted to opiates to die from them.”

SSDP is an international non-profit advocacy group dedicated to reforming drug policy and ending what is commonly referred to as “The War on Drugs.” Cantor believes that reducing harm with services such as HIV Alliance and the syringe exchange helps addicts and the community as a whole.

“Harm reduction recognizes that people will use drugs and seeks to provide them with the respect, knowledge and resources to reduce the risks associated with drug use,” Cantor said.

The post Nearly 30 overdoses, 0 deaths: Local response to opioid crisis appeared first on Emerald Media.

On Sept. 24, the White Bird Clinic, a local non-profit providing affordable health services and crisis prevention, announced that it would be expanding its medical and dental services in response to a growing community need.

According to Benjamin Brubaker, White Bird’s Volunteer Coordinator, the non-profit has purchased a new building two blocks away from the existing dental clinic. While the move is still roughly a year away, the new location will provide a larger space for existing dental services.

Brubaker is excited about the expansion but recognizes that the real work has only just begun.

“White Bird has just enough resources to get this off the ground,” Brubaker said. “But we’re really going to be looking towards the community for continued support.”

According to Brubaker, White Bird is planning on doing a number of fundraisers in the coming months to help pay for the expansion.

White Bird was founded in 1969 by a small group of medical workers and university graduates to combat the growing number of homeless youth entering Lane County.

According to Kim Freuen, White Bird Dental Program Coordinator, the current location at 1400 Mill St. is no longer big enough to accommodate the 1,992 patients they’ve seen to date.

“Normally, dentists have two chairs they can work out of, and we don’t often have two chairs for every dentist,” Freuen said. “So we’re at a point where we need to expand so we can work at our optimal rate of patients that we could see.”

The dental unit has been operating as an urgent care facility as well as providing preventative care since 1995.

Freuen cites The Affordable Care Act, which has been providing subsidies and expanding Medicaid for low-income people since 2010, as a major influence to increase their availability of dental care.

“Because the state pays for their care, a lot of people have been able to receive dental care for the first time,” Freuen said. “It’s allowed us to do a lot of fillings and restorative care. It’s been really wonderful.”

The new building is roughly two blocks away, on 1415 Pearl St. Brubaker hopes that relocating the dental services will allow the current clinic to be turned into an urgent care facility that will provide patients who lack health insurance an alternative to costly emergency rooms.

The extra space will also allow room for more student internships. Currently, White Bird is able to accommodate only one dental student. Freuen hopes to increase that number within the year.

One such student who began her internship in Nov. 2017 is Cari Goyne. Originally from Arizona, Goyne has since relocated and obtained a position with White Bird as a part-time dental assistant.

“I Just fell in love with the area,” Goyne said. “I loved my time at the clinic during my internship, so when it came time to look for jobs I was happy to land back here.”

Goyne said the most rewarding part of working with White Bird has been building relationships with not only the staff but the diverse patients who utilize White Birds medical services.

“As a student, I saw patients once and they were gone,” Goyne said. “ Now I’m getting to see them multiple times and build a relationship. It’s a lot of fun being able to treat patients within the community where I live and give back to the community.”

The post White Bird flies two blocks in medical and dental expansion appeared first on Emerald Media.

Imagine walking through the streets of Eugene without seeing a Ducks jersey. Impossible.

Children, teenagers, college students and professionals alike take pride in representing their home team. Some locals even have jerseys older than the athletes playing these days. It’s a piece of clothing that isn’t only worn but also hung up on walls as memorabilia.

Flashy, ever-changing jersey’s are a hallmark of Oregon football uniforms, but the history of the Oregon jersey is greater than a different helmet here and bright socks there.

“They are bold pioneers breaking standard conventions,” said Todd Van Horne, Vice President Creative Director of Nike Special Projects. “Color, graphics and stories are all in play within their uniforms. Innovation has no limits for the Ducks.”

Van Horne is the head of a team that not only focuses on trendy designs and logos, but the practicality and safety of the new equipment before it reaches the field at Autzen stadium.

“Before any aesthetics, we focus on performance for the athlete first,” Van Horne said. “Uniforms are tested and proven in the Nike Sports Research lab and with on-field testing. Designing a uniform is a combination of art and science.”

The history of the Duck’s paradigm-shifting uniforms can be traced back to 1996, when Nike co-founder Phil Knight began a partnership with the Ducks in an effort to better attract future players to the team. The designs became flashier and changed evermore quickly, with the Ducks often switching uniforms on a weekly basis. But that’s not to say that the jersey’s before were unremarkable.

In the 1920s, white leather helmets were all the Duck’s could get to protect their heads. Yellow helmets came a few decades later, accompanied by white jerseys with dark green stripes. Every so often, the Ducks would switch it up a bit and wear dark green shirts with white stripes or some combination of green, white and yellow. This wasn’t atypical for college football teams of the time. The colors were the only distinguishing characteristic between schools.

The Oregon football uniforms did not include helmets during the years 1893-1909. In 1915-1941, the players wore small, soft-style helmets and eventually adopted helmets with face masks in 1956. A wall of small mannequins located in the lobby of the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex reveals the chronology of the Oregon football uniform from Webfoots to Ducks. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

In 2009, wings were added to the helmets and jerseys for the first time. It was also the first time that the school colors of yellow and green became optional: The Ducks premiere of sleek black uniforms didn’t go unnoticed. It set in motion a trend that continues to this day. The Ducks also premiered their brightest uniform to date with the bright yellow ensemble worn during the 1999 season opener against Mississippi state.

In 1994, wearing a Donald Duck laden uniform, safety Kenny Wheaton ran 97 yards for a touchdown that cemented their win against the Huskies. In 2014, on the 20th anniversary game, the Ducks brought the uniform back as a slight taunt to the Huskies as well as an homage to one the most important games in Duck history.

Wheaton returned for the anniversary game and was asked in a video from GoDucks.com what it means to have so many people wear his jersey. His response: “It’s love. It’s family.”

The Ducks have a reputation for pushing the limits of what’s possible in regards to uniform changes and the symbolism attached to the colors and design. According to OPB, in 2013 UO raised upwards of $200,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund by auctioning off the pink helmets worn as part of a uniform dedicated to breast cancer awareness.

But meaning comes in different forms. For players, it’s a physical reminder of dreams they’ve realized. Tony Brooks-James, a senior running back for the Ducks, can still remember his favorite jersey from when he was a teenager.

“I had a Dwayne Wade jersey when I was younger,” Brooks-James said. “I didn’t really wear too many jersey’s, but he was my favorite basketball player.”

For Brooks-James, the jersey was more than a thin layer of clothing. It represented a possibility. The dream of being a professional athlete seemed distant until it could be seen, felt and worn.

“Every time I put a jersey on, I represent my passion and my future. It helps me be better because I don’t want to represent that in a bad way,” said Brooks-James.

For Oregon, designing the uniforms is a team process. Everyone’s voice is heard, from the players to the coaches.

Since 2010, Kenny Farr has been the Football Equipment Administrator, in charge of ordering apparel and equipment for the team. Farr also acts as a liason who coordinates meetings between Nike’s design team and the players and coaches. Farr said players offer suggestions for future uniforms, whether it’s color and pattern design or functionality. For Farr, the most important suggestions always concern comfort.

“I want a player to be as protected and as comfortable as possible in the uniform and equipment so that he can focus on being the best player he can be on the field,” Farr said.

Farr’s personal contributions range from simple accessories to the color of the socks.  

“I work with the players every day so I get to know the things they like and don’t like,” Farr said. “Things like the color of the cleats, gloves, socks, helmets and wristbands.”

Oregon football began wearing Nike cleats as part of its uniform in the early 1970s. A wall of small mannequins located in the lobby of the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex reveals the chronology of the Oregon football uniform from Webfoots to Ducks. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

While it may appear that players get a new jersey every week, it’s actually somewhere around four per season. According to Farr, the uniforms are designed in order to be mixed and matched as to appear brand new on a week-by-week basis. This unpredictability has become the centerpiece for how the Oregon Ducks have changed the way college football uniforms are viewed.

“Some schools have the tradition to never change their uniforms and I have a lot of respect for that,” Farr said. “At Oregon, we have developed a tradition of changing uniforms, which has coincided with our program performing well on the field.”

Placing value in an ever-changing wardrobe of uniforms might seem pointless to some viewers who are more concerned with a player’s stats rather than a quarterback’s socks and helmet matching. Farr argues that taking pride in external appearance helps players and fans alike feel confident about the game.

“I think Oregon and Nike were on the tip of the spear for the evolution of multiple uniforms in college football,” Farr said. “Due to our success on the field and its popularity with recruits, a lot of other teams have adopted that same philosophy.”

Jersey’s aren’t only for the players. A fan buying a favorite player’s jersey is perhaps the single most effective way to show support for the individual as well as the team. It acts as a constant reminder that without the fans, the players wouldn’t exist in the same way.

UO graduate Michael Jordan (not the former NBA player) owns two seperate Ducks jerseys. A dark green Josh Huff jersey and a Royce Freeman apple-green “fighting ducks” jersey. His favorite jersey of all time was the “fighting Ducks” jersey worn against Cal in 2011. The fighting Ducks was a special logo featured on a select number of Jerseys and helmets that year. For Jordan, the jersey symbolizes a chance to be part of something larger than himself.

“The Jersey is a way for the fan to feel like a member of the team,” Jordan said. “It’s nice that it supports the athletic department, but I didn’t buy them with that in mind. It’s like a miniature role play situation for me. The jersey is a fun part of the gameday ritual.”

The post A brief history of Oregon uniforms appeared first on Emerald Media.

Many great artists died at 27. Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, etc. The list goes on. The phenomenon of creatives dying at the age of 27 is well-documented.  

Mac Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, passed away on Sept. 7, just four months away from turning 27. On “Brand Name,” a song from his 2015 album, “GO:OD AM,” Mac briefly mentions his desire to not join the long list of artists having met an early death at 27:

“To everyone who sells drugs / Don’t mix it with that bullshit / I’m not trying to join the 27 club.”

As of now (Monday, Sep.17th), we don’t know Mac’s exact cause of death, but these lyrics may prove to be more prophetic as time goes on.

The similarities between Mac and the untimely deaths of the aforementioned artists are undeniable. Each artist found success relatively early, spending a majority of their early twenties under a pop culture microscope.

Each artist had publicly struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse, often using their music to explore themes of excess and mental-illness — a combination that can be described as the contemporary speedball.

But now isn’t the time for preachy anti-drug messages. The disease of addiction is never that simple to begin with. Now is not the time to assign blame to those around him, to those who loved him or to those impacted by his death in ways we’ll never understand. Now is not the time to pretend you understand.

Now is the time to memorialize an artist who consistently reinvented himself in ways that were both exciting and unexpected. Every album that came after his frat rap debut sounded sonically different and felt fully realized in ways that are uncommon for a younger artist.

Mac’s first album “Blue Slide Park” became the first independently distributed debut album to premiere at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart in 16 years. The record became a soundtrack for angsty high schoolers who fell in love with an energy that was more concerned with having fun than being emotionally deep.

For many, listening to Mac Miller captures the feeling of being young. He’s the sound of inescapable nostalgia, bringing about equal amounts of pain and pleasure.

Normally, when an artist changes his sound as drastically as Mac did from album to album, they would end up alienating a part of their fan base that fell in love with the previous record. That wasn’t the case for Mac. He grew up with his audience. The progression of his music followed the narrative arc of young people who have struggled to find a purpose.

His sophomore album, “Watching Movies With the Sound Off,” is worlds away from his whimsical debut. It’s dark and brooding and he’s constantly exploring the merits of his own existence. It’s similar to what a high schooler feels when they find out they don’t have a clue who or what they will become.

His music gives hope and continually displays a love for hip-hop that’s both rare and under-appreciated among contemporary rap acts. It’s through this love that he’s able to reach so many people. To love something is a relatable feeling, but to share this love so willingly and with such vulnerability takes a special kind of person.

Mac is one of the rare hip-hop artists who almost never made an enemy. He exuded positivity and opened his home to creatives from all around the world. His singular purpose was to avoid the existential dread he openly rapped about on his songs by making music with his friends; and we’re so glad he did.

“All the best rappers are usually dead,” – Mac Miller, on “Gees” featuring Schoolboy Q.

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At the end of each school year, and simultaneous expiration of many student housing leases, the dumpsters and curbs around the greater campus area are subject to an assortment of things left behind, otherwise known as “Hippie Christmas.” Pictured above is Emerald-found items during the end of the 2017-2018 school year. (Dana Sparks/Emerald)

Every summer, thousands of University of Oregon students pack up their stuff and leave Eugene. Some students may return in September to continue their education while others graduate and move on entirely. International students often board planes, taking with them only what they can carry. Left behind in dumpsters and on street corners are the remnants of this mass exit. This is the way of a college town.

The sidewalks surrounding campus become awash with various types of furniture; whether it be couches, mattresses, full-sized desks or bookshelves. For some, this is a time for celebration. It’s as if Eugene has turned itself into a city-wide garage sale free bin. For others, it becomes a sign of carelessness in regards to the wasteful nature of abandoning recyclable and reusable materials.

A 1988 Supreme Court ruling, California vs. Greenwood, states that when a person throws something away, it is technically in the public domain and can be taken. Regardless, states have been able to reinforce their own regulations regarding the legality of dumpster diving and similar activities.

Sam Black, who graduated from UO this year, said convenience was the main reason he decided to put his desk and a few other belongings on the street while moving out. 

At the end of each school year, and simultaneous expiration of many student housing leases, the dumpsters and curbs around the greater campus area are subject to an assortment of things left behind, otherwise known as “Hippie Christmas.” Pictured above is Emerald-found items during the end of the 2017-2018 school year. (Dana Sparks/Emerald)

“In addition to the desk, I put out other things like a lamp, mirror and nightstand,” Black said. “About 10 minutes later, everything had been taken except the desk. Although I noticed that all the drawers to the desk were open and all of the knobs for the desk were gone.”

While some items are picked up quickly by community members looking for furniture, others are picked through and left behind. Items that could have been donated and restored often become damaged while on the street. The responsibility then falls on the city to clean up anything that wasn’t deemed valuable to passersby.

Kelly Bell, who works in the Waste Management Division of the Lane County Public Works as the master recycler volunteer coordinator, said that while the community has employed several strategies to help encourage donation, these strategies have almost always been met with poor participation.

“When things are left out on the curb rather than donated, they become degraded and may never be reused,” Bell said. “The volume of this material is staggering. Abandoning home goods on the street or near dumpsters is extremely wasteful — wasteful of time, money, the reusable items themselves and all the natural resources that went in to making those products.”

UO’s Zero Waste Program, a student initiative committed to reducing waste and reusing resources, is just one of many resources that offers extra help to students who are looking to discard large items during finals week.

“We set out extra collection sites to ensure we capture as much material as possible,” Karyn Kaplan, Zero Waste program manager said. “A typical year yields over 20 tons of materials that get donated back to the community in areas that are needed, and that doesn’t include the increased recycling that is captured at the same time.”

Alana Birkeland, who recently graduated from UO’s School of Environmental Sciences, spent a night at the end of finals week digging through the dumpsters near the dorms. In addition to recovering items that could potentially help those in need, Birkeland was concerned about the environmental impacts this type of waste could have on the community.

At the end of each school year, and simultaneous expiration of many student housing leases, the dumpsters and curbs around the greater campus area are subject to an assortment of things left behind, otherwise known as “Hippie Christmas.” Pictured above is Emerald-found items during the end of the 2017-2018 school year. (Dana Sparks/Emerald)

“I found tons of brand new toiletries and kitchen appliances that still worked,” Birkeland said. “People don’t realize that when you throw something in the trash it doesn’t just disappear. It ends up somewhere where those chemicals can leach into the ground, or the electronics basically never decompose.”

According to Kaplan, dumpster diving is still not permitted on campus, and aside from the costly trespassing fee, there are plenty of health risks to be aware of before descending into an aluminum dumpster.

“Dumpster diving is not safe. There are many hazardous and sharp materials that pose a safety and health risk when digging in a dumpster,” Kaplan said. “We try and encourage students to donate or post their items on a for sale or free e-bulletin board. There is also a donation drive held in the residence halls during the last two weeks of the year.”

For many, the risk seems to be worth the reward. Phillip Martin works near campus and looks forward to the day when the students leave for summer, having found numerous valuables and clothing items in dumpsters over the years.

“One year, I found a $1,000 Asus gaming laptop in a trash can at the house next to Tom’s market on 18th and Agate,” Martin said. “Also found about ten dollars in silver fifty cent pieces, and three pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses.”

Martin also mentions finding brand new Nike sneakers on multiple occasions, as well as many other clothing items. These are the types of materials that thrift store donation bins encourage with their conveniently placed drop boxes.

Over two weeks since finals week ended, the streets surrounding campus are still littered with couches, mattresses and desks. Many of the items have been picked through and will probably remain there until the garbage collectors come prepared to pick them up. By the time that happens, students will more than likely be returning to campus for fall term, bringing their junk with them.

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Hidden among the debris of the famous grandstands, which on six separate occasions bore witness to the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, lies a nearly century-old legacy that came to embody the tradition of running at the University of Oregon and the surrounding community of Eugene.

Hayward Field lent credence to Eugene’s claim as “Tracktown USA.” The venue’s name derives from Bill Hayward, whose near mythic status as a UO track coach from 1904 to 1948 led him to be referred to as the “grandfather of UO track and field.”

So the track and field community was divided after UO announced that the historic grandstands would be demolished and the field would be renovated in preparation for the 2021 IAAF World Track and Field Championships. Locals roared in protest against the decision, while the university trudged on in pursuit of a world-class stadium. Questions of whether the demolition and ensuing construction was handled correctly, or even needed at all, began to surface.

For many, the decision to tear down the historic East Grandstand felt poorly planned and lacked the type of thoughtful execution it deserved. Others are looking to the future, hoping to start the construction as soon as possible in order to have a working stadium in time for the upcoming championships in 2021.

Michael Carrigan is an organizer for the Community Alliance of Lane County, a nonprofit that, according to its website, aims to “create a more just and peaceful community.” Carrigan was heavily involved in the myriad of protests that occured since the April 17 announcement of the demolition.

Chunks of roofing fall to the ground as the demolition of Historic Hayward Field’s East Grandstand begins on June 22, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

“Hayward Field is a special, publicly-owned facility that belongs to all of us, and not just Phil Knight,” Carrigan said.

Carrigan, like many other Lane County-natives, has long-standing ties to the historic Hayward Field. He remembers one event in particular.

“Hayward is where I and many others watched Mary Decker and Bill McChesney run, and where we watched one of the greatest Hayward races of all time — the 800-meter Oregon sweep at the 2008 Olympic Trials,” Carrigan said. “It has provided wonderful memories for many and has great energy that students, fans like me and track athletes of all levels loved.”

Of course, not everyone is upset about the new stadium, which will increase the seating capacity from 10,500 to 12,900 and can be expanded to accommodate 30,000 people when necessary. Larger crowds and state of the art amenities are some of the reasons athletes and coaches frequently cited as reasons they are excited about the renovation. UO track and field head coach Robert Johnson is happy to finally have a stadium that matches the excellence of the athletes he oversees.

“The University of Oregon track and field program is one steeped in a tradition of excellence,” Johnson said. “The new Hayward Field stadium and facilities will now be a fitting reflection of that tradition.”

Raevyn Rogers, who won the 800-meter race at the 2015 NCAA Division 1 championship in Eugene as a freshman, believes that to be successful over time, you have to adjust and evolve.

“When you think about historical groups that were successful, they were successful through evolution,” Rogers said. “A new facility will add to the mystique, the motivation for what’s next for the university and the program.”

Originally built in 1919 to house football games, it wasn’t until 1921 that the field expanded to begin featuring track and field events. Since then, the field and the surrounding grandstands have been renovated numerous times, with the last significant renovation taking place in 1988, when the East Grandstand was moved 11 meters east and completely reconditioned.

Jonathan Stafford, one of the architects who helped facilitate the moving of the East Grandstand in the ’80s, said that preservation of historical sites isn’t always possible due to outdated functionality or lack of economical use; however, he believes that the East Grandstand he helped renovate could have been saved.

“In addition to being a sophisticated design, the east stands were right on the track, both horizontally and vertically,” Stafford said. “Allowing the fan to get close to the athletes.”

Previously, The Oregonian reported that the University had officially accepted a redesign of Hayward Field submitted by former UO architecture student Tinker Hatfield, who currently sits as the vice president of design and special projects for Nike. Hatfield was instrumental in the creation of Nike’s iconic shoe, the Air Jordan.

His design would have kept the 99-year-old East Grandstand intact while still updating Hayward Field to meet the necessary requirements to stage the scheduled 2021 Track and Field Championships. But UO later decided to withdraw their acceptance of the design in favor of another rendering.

“I would have preferred Hatfield’s scheme that kept the grandstand, but money talks,” Stafford said. “The demolition train has already left the building.”

One of the large investors in the project is Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Knight told the Register Guard that he thinks the new stadium will help UO continue its pursuit of excellence in track and field, and that even legendary Oregon track and field coach Bill Bowerman would have wanted a state-of-the-art training facility for his team.

But Knight seemed to understand how unpopular this renovation would be, saying in an interview that he was sure to be the most reviled man in Eugene when the demolition on the East Grandstand officially started.

And he wasn’t altogether wrong. The public outcry following the initial unveiling of demolition plans this past April was swift. A number of community driven groups, such as Save Hayward Magic and East Grandstand Supporters, objected to the removal of structures and trees on the Hayward site. A vigil was held on June 19 to protest the eventual demise of the East Grandstand.

Bob Hart, executive director of the Lane County History Museum, believes in the importance of historical preservation as a tool to help those in the present be reminded of their not so distant past.

“It makes one aware that people in the past approached similar problems, but with different technologies, and different mindsets,” Hart said. “It has the potential to lift us out of our frequent preoccupation with ourselves and the present moment and the doldrums that frequently are a result of such narrowly focused attention.”

According to Hart, Eugene has a long and uneasy relationship with historic preservation. The 1898 leveling of the first Lane courthouse, built in 1855, is a prime example of this hasty nature to build new.

“It is interesting to note that we are the only sizeable community in the valley that has this reputation,” Hart said. “And it’s not always cheaper to build new. Environmentalists argue that the energy costs for new construction far outweigh the costs of rehabilitation of older buildings and that a true bottom line needs to take this into consideration.”

Liz Carter, who obtained a master’s degree in historical preservation at UO and later went on to teach in that same program for over a decade, disagrees with the demolition and the way it was planned.

“Given the high-profile and international recognition of this publicly owned property, the public certainly should have been included in the discussion,” Carter said. “They did not endeavor to preserve anything in a way that will allow the public to recall with any accuracy the ambiance, energy and overall feeling of the Hayward Field that has been the home of track and field in Eugene for nearly a century.”

Carter, among many others, says that the university missed an opportunity to preserve the stands that witnessed history and united a community for nearly a century.

“With the destruction of the East Grandstand and Hayward Field, the tangible thread that tied us to the people and events that brought us to where we are today are lost,” Carter said. “The opportunity to add to that long line of generations who contributed to that heritage has been taken.”

Hayward Field’s East Grandstand lies reduced to wooden pieces on the ground. The wooden structure was 93 years old. Historic Hayward Field’s East Grandstand is demolished on June 22, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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On Tuesday, June 12, University of Oregon students will rally outside a State Land Board meeting in Salem to protest the creation of the Pacific Connector pipeline, as well as the Jordan Cove Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facility. Carpools leaving from the university the morning of the 12th are available to all students looking to participate. The rally and carpool are being organized by No LNG coalition members, in connection with Cascadia Wildlands and 350EUG, which is the Eugene chapter of a global organization dedicated to raising awareness about climate change.

The proposed 230-mile Pacific Connector pipeline would cross through four counties in total to reach Coos Bay, where the gas would then be exported overseas by the Jordan Cove LNG facility.

Since 1859, the State Land Board has consisted of the Governor, Secretary of State and State treasurer, with an aim to help manage state land in a way that will benefit Oregonians. The board was made with an emphasis on conservation and sound land management. According to the State Land Board website, the June 12 meeting will discuss a number of topics, including the State Land’s budget for the next three years.

According to Dylan Plummer, event coordinator for Climate Justice League and intern at Cascadia Wildlands, the proposed pipeline and export facility threatens Oregon wildlife.

“We strongly believe that this project is ecologically and socially reprehensible, as it would pose a threat to Oregon’s clean water and endangered species, including the northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet and a variety of different salmon species,” Plummer said.

In a town hall discussion in 2013, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden admitted he was unsure whether the project would have negative environmental impacts, but also said it could bring economic benefits to coastal cities in Oregon.

The project being discussed was first proposed in 2004 but has been denied twice by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for various reasons.

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