Professor of economics and part-time muckraker Bill Harbaugh was elected the University Senate vice president and president-elect on June 3, running unopposed. The secret-ballot vote was 20-7.

The Senate VP automatically becomes the Senate president after one year of service, meaning the election for VP is essentially a proxy election for Senate president.

Harbaugh has been a perennial critic of the university administration, mainly through his blog, UO Matters. Earlier this year, he was the recipient of 22,000 pages of unlawfully released documents containing confidential information from the Knight Library, which resulted in the director of special collections’ termination. His blog has been critical of the university’s transparency, its handling of sexual assault and administrative pay.

One of the most involved members of the faculty, Harbaugh has served on the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, Faculty Advisory Committee and as a board member of the faculty union. He also played a primary role in establishing the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and the Senate Transparency Committee. The result of that work is a new academic freedom policy and the development of the “Financial Transparency Tool,” available on DuckWeb, which provides information on university spending.

Despite his work for the university, concern has been expressed about Harbaugh’s efficacy as a leader. In one instance, IAC Chair Rob Illig described how Harbaugh’s prodding nature began “eroding trust and making it impossible for the IAC to secure good information.” To alleviate the “hostile work environment,” Illig recommended that the university president create a new athletics committee. The President’s Advisory Group on Intercollegiate Athletics, which does not have public meetings, was created shortly thereafter by then-president Michael Gottfredson.

“I would say that (Harbaugh’s election) does raise concerns about the ability of the Senate to have a constructive relationship with the administration because of the history,” said Classified Staff Senator Jimmy Murray.

Andrew Lubash, the 2014-2015 University Student Senator, expressed a different sentiment.

“I think his blog has done a lot of good for the UO community and his election proves that the faculty also believes that. Whether or not the administration will have a productive relationship with him, I’m not sure since he hasn’t started his tenure as VP yet.”

Outgoing Senate President Robert Kyr assuaged the UO board of trustees’ fear of Harbaugh, saying that the new VP would redouble his blog’s focus on university issues and avoid commentary, as reported by the Oregonian.

It remains to be seen how Harbaugh and incoming President Michael Schill will get along. As for whether Harbaugh’s election is good for the university, Lubash is hopeful.

“I think so,” he said. “I would have voted for him.”

The university administration was unable to be reached for comment in this story.

Dahlia Bazzaz contributed to this report. 

Let’s get existential (and probably a bit too literal with some clichés). You’re graduating, but there is no moment of clarity. You may know what you’re doing next year or you may not. One thing’s for sure: Some seem to be always right, landing the perfect job. The stars are aligning for them. I’d say it’s mostly luck and confidence. Raw skill and intellectual strength are only part of the success equation. Plus, clairvoyance isn’t guaranteed with a degree.

Most of us grope in the dark, unaware of where we’re going, making choices from nebulous information with cascading consequences of good and bad. After graduating, there’s career and hopefully love, happiness and the rest of it, and getting the best out of life requires difficult decision making. There’s no rulebook either, so we go at it freestyle.

But, there are some truths as far as I’m concerned. In the game of life, it’s all right to know your weaknesses yet stick to your guns about what compels you. And though you may not know what’s next for you, here’s a bit of advice about how to handle the next steps in life:

I don’t know what the purpose of life is, but find your purpose and stick to it. Are we here for a reason? I don’t know. What I do know is that a life without a purpose sounds pretty awful. What gets you going? Find that thing and dedicate yourself to it. Does it help others? Even better.

Work as hard as you can. Thought college was as hard as it gets? Nope. Now’s the time to put in those mega-hours at your new gig and push yourself as hard as possible. Hard work — actual hard work, not “OMG I’ve got so much homework” hard work — begets success and respect.

Exercise regularly and eat well. This is my wildcard, but it’s solid advice. Studies have shown that adults who exercise 30 minutes a day are 40 percent less likely to die prematurely. And eating well can help you feel well. Don’t eat anything your great grandma wouldn’t recognize (e.g. very processed foods) and you’ll be golden.

Stay in touch. College is the ultimate time of propinquity. Deliberately stay in touch with the people you like and let them know that you want to keep being friends. The best thing to do? Call a friend on the phone and talk for hours.

@gordonfriedman

Update 5/28: Hoffman Construction Company Executive Vice President Bart Eberwein was reached for comment this morning, although he could not comment directly on the lawsuit. “I can only say that we are trying to lean into the problem, hope to fix it, hope the students like the building and we want to be part of the solution when that’s figured out. We are not running away from this,” he said. More to come.

The University of Oregon filed a lawsuit against the designers and contractors who worked on the planning and construction of Global Scholars Hall. The suit, filed against two contractors and an architectural firm, claims the damages will exceed $8.5 million.

The hall’s residents were informed by email on March 13 from Vice President for Student Life Robin Holmes.

In the email, embedded below, Holmes said the building was inspected by two different “engineering experts” who determined it is safe.

Holmes also wrote, “We believe that concrete floors are deflecting beyond the normal limits and the deflection is causing substantial stress and/or cracking or a combination of both, of the floors, walls and ceilings.”

Those assertions are included in the lawsuit, which is embedded below as well. The university’s complaint alleges that the firms knew about those problems and had numerous opportunities to correct them.

The suit says, “Defects in the walls and ceilings and uneven floor surfaces…impacted the performance and functionality of the doors, windows, furniture and built-ins of the Building.”

Hoffman Construction, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects and Catena Consulting are the firms named in the suit. Hoffman and ZGF have worked on many projects on campus including the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex and the Jaqua Center.

In the GSH suit, the UO alleges that all three companies “failed to uphold their promise” of building an easily maintainable and aesthetically pleasing residence hall.

Catena is the only firm that supplied a legal answer to the UO’s suit. The company’s statement affirms the university’s claims that GSH was constructed improperly, but “denies the issues are related to its work.” At times, Catena blames Hoffman, saying, “The floor deflection was caused by Hoffman’s improper construction means and methods.”

University officials say that the building is safe — it’s just that the defects impact its aesthetic and that it’ll cost more to maintain GSH in the long run.

A request for inspection reports related to the GSH foundation was denied by UO’s public records office.

Jacob McKay, the Hoffman superintendent listed as the construction contact on GSH building permits, was reached by phone but declined to comment.

The UO’s vice president of campus planning and real estate, Christopher Ramsey, also declined to comment because of the pending litigation.

Lee Kerns, a ZGF associate listed on city permits as the project’s design contact, could not be reached for comment.

Legal representatives for the university and the firms named in the suit are set to appear in court on July 8 in Salem, Oregon.

The only record of a complaint filed against GSH, which sits at 1710 E. 15th Ave., was on Sept. 12, 2013. Which was because of an expired building permit. The permit was renewed the next month, according to city records.

Robin Holmes’ original email, sent March 13th:

The university’s lawsuit, filed March 13th :

Catena’s answer, filed April 15th:

Eder Campuzano contributed to this report.

Negotiators from the U.S. and five other nations are working late on the clock Monday night, aiming to reach an agreement about Iran’s future nuclear program.

A provisional framework for a deal is due by midnight on Tuesday.

“We are working late into the night and obviously into tomorrow,” Secretary of State John Kerry said to The New York Times Monday. “Everyone knows the meaning of tomorrow.”

The potential deal has sparked an international debate about the threat of a nuclear Iran and the legitimacy of an agreement – if one is reached at all – and its global impact.

Negotiations center on Iran’s capability to refine uranium, which is critical to constructing an atomic bomb.

Tehran maintains the nuclear program is solely for generating electricity, not weaponization. But Western governments are skeptical, remembering Iran’s continued efforts to conceal the locations of its centrifuges, funding of terrorism and promotion of anti-American policies.

Diplomats remain uncertain about reaching an agreement as tensions rise domestically and abroad.

After 46 Republican senators penned a letter rejecting a deal and sent it to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Obama administration feared it would lose its mediatory clout. Khameni chanted “Death to America” with a crowd last week, denouncing U.S. sanctions on the Iranian economy.

Controversy continued after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the midst of a reelection campaign, rejected the notion of a deal. This strengthened his alliance with GOP leaders, while distancing himself from the Obama Administration.

Israel is a key component of any potential deal and Iran has repeatedly threatened to destroy the nation.

In response, President Obama threatened to veto any efforts by the U.S. Senate to levy further sanctions against Iran. The president is adamant that a deal must be reached with Iran – and quickly.

There are few public details about the framework. Here is what we know:

• Iran is demanding immediate sanction relief in exchange for agreeing not to pursue acquisition of fissile uranium.
• The U.S. wants Iran to disable 4,000 of its 10,000 working centrifuges; there are around 18,000 centrifuges in Iran.
• As part of an earlier stage of negotiations, enrichment levels of Iran’s uranium have currently been capped at 5 percent or lower. Material must be at 90 percent to make a bomb.
• Extending the time it would take Iran to develop a nuclear bomb, the US wants Iran at least one year from obtaining a bomb at all times.
• Shipping uranium stocks to Russia where they cannot be weaponized — Iran’s deputy foreign minister backed out of this part of the deal on Monday.
• The U.S. also wants disclosure of secret enrichment facilities, which diplomats fear could be operating without the International Atomic Energy Agency’s knowledge.
• Another part of the deal is full access to inspect Iranian nuclear facilities and verify that no weapons-grade material is being produced.

The post Dismantling the potential nuclear deal with Iran appeared first on Emerald Media.

Jaimie Tinoco, 17, was sentenced to 14 years in prison today after pleading guilty to a rape and beating of a woman near Autzen Stadium in September.

The case was heard by Judge Debra Vogt in the Lane County Circuit Court.

Tinoco was in custody of the Washington County Juvenile Department and on a field trip to an Oregon football game with other juvenile inmates. He later walked away from the group, committing the assault and rape.

The survivor, 39, appeared today in court and described that Tinoco punched her repeatedly in the face during the attack; she begged for him to stop so that she might see her daughter again, according to The Register-Guard.

Tinoco grinned as the victim read her statement.

The attack left the survivor with both of her eyes swollen shut, a broken nose and needing reconstructive surgery.

When on the field trip, Tinoco was participating in a program called the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative that aims to help inmates “develop life skills and positive goals through pro-social activities,” according to a statement by Lynne Schroeder, the Director of the Washington County Juvenile Department.

The effectiveness of justice programs like the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative has been called into question by state officials saying the program costs too much and has little impact on crime in Oregon.

According to state and federal data, Oregon has some of the highest rates of juvenile arrest in the nation.

Although Vogt handed down the maximum sentence, because Tinoco is still a minor he will serve his sentence at the Oregon Youth Authority until he is 25. The remainder of his sentence will be carried out in prison.

Once released, he will be a registered sex offender and be obligated to complete drug, alcohol and anger counseling, along with any other conditions of his probation.

Follow Gordon Friedman @gordonrfriedman.

The post 17-year-old sentenced to 14 years for brutal rape near Autzen Stadium appeared first on Emerald Media.

The business of transportation is changing.

The long-outdated ritual of hailing a cab is going by the wayside as new companies offer faster, cheaper and more high-tech ways to travel.

However, regulating new transportation companies has been challenging.

Uber — the Silicon Valley ridesharing company, valued at more than $40 billion and operating in more than 250 cities worldwide — is the global leader in ridesharing. The company launched uberX in Eugene in July 2014, which allows citizen drivers to use their vehicles to transport passengers who request and pay for rides via the company’s app.

Eugene may be the tip of the iceberg for companies like Uber, looking to test the regulatory flexibility of city officials.

The regulatory conflict begins in the Eugene City Code, deepening with semantic disagreements and the game of who will buckle first — the City or the company.

The City wants to license Uber as a Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) company, like taxis. Uber has displayed “some unwillingness” to compromise, according to Assistant City Manager Sarah Medary.

In a Jan. 20 statement to the Mayor and City Council, which was given during a hearing to change the City Code, Uber disputed that it operates PPVs at all, instead saying it’s a “Transportation Network Company” (TNC), which are “technology companies that provide a platform” for ridesharing.

Uber’s argument is that “transportation network companies are fundamentally different from existing taxi companies” because they use an app to pay for rides and don’t own cars, so the City’s regulations don’t apply.

Uber said the City Code, like hailing a cab, is outdated. Surprisingly, the City Council mostly agreed. The City Code hadn’t been amended since 1992 until Uber arrived.

“We had, early on, the very first time we met with Uber, said: ‘We’re happy to dive in and work on these rules to make it easy for you to operate in Eugene,’” Medary said. The City has safety rules for all PPV companies that are not negotiable.

Those include the state-mandated $1.3 million commercial auto insurance policy, driver background checks by the Eugene Police Department and vehicle inspections, Eugene Community Outreach Coordinator Laura Hammond said via email.

According to Uber’s Pacific Northwest Manager, Brooke Steger, because Uber cars aren’t 24/7 commercial vehicles, they shouldn’t be subject to the same commercial vehicle insurance policies. She said Uber feels “very strongly” its own three-step background check and vehicle requirements are sufficient to provide safe drivers and cars for Eugene.

The company has its own $1 million insurance policy, which covers riders during their use of Uber services. Also, driver vehicles are regularly inspected by certified third-party mechanics.

“To be crystal clear: there is no gap in coverage,” Uber said in its statement.

Eugene’s City Council heard testimony and debated changing section 3.345 of the Eugene Code, which regulates PPV licenses. Uber gave the Council “model code” that recognizes TNCs, like regulations successfully implemented in Washington, Virginia and Illinois.

The Council was not convinced, and voted 8-0 to alter the existing regulations, rejecting Uber’s model code.

The Council said the updated regulations “clearly require” Uber to obtain a license and that “Uber is asserting that the City’s license requirement does not apply to it.” The updated code specifies companies connecting passengers to vehicles via a “digital or software application scheduling platform or service” must obtain PPV licenses.

“The way that our PPV code is written would include a Transportation Network Company even before we added that section. We felt very certain of that,” Medary said. “We added that piece in to just clarify it completely.

Steger criticized the changes in a letter saying, “The only people to benefit will be those who own the taxi companies.”

Uber still wants its unique business model recognized.

“Uber is actually a technology company that connects riders to providers. So we do not own vehicles and we don’t operate those vehicles,” Steger said.

According to City Administrative Rules, PPV companies are companies operating or connecting people to vehicles for hire “regardless of who owns the vehicles operated.”

Uber still contends it doesn’t technically operate vehicles.

Medary says the City offered Uber a PPV license application, but the company has yet to file it.

The City fined Uber $2,000 per day beginning in November, totaling $116,000. Fines are halted pending Uber’s appeal. A date has not yet been set for the hearing.

The company filed a petition with more than 1,800 signatures asking the City to “create regulations that include the unique nature of ridesharing.”

Uber and the City of Eugene then had a Twitter exchange:

Eugene – We need your help, stat! Tell your city officials that #EugeneNeedsUber. Sign the petition here: https://t.co/41YXvpiGWE

— Uber Oregon (@Uber_OR) February 11, 2015

.@Uber_OR Or you could just agree to City driver checks, insurance reqs, & car safety checks. Not hard. #EugeneDeservesSafety

— City of Eugene (@cityofeugene) February 11, 2015

Services offered by Uber are attractive to students. For those without vehicles or looking to return home from a party, requesting an Uber can be the quickest, cheapest and safest way to travel.

Uber boasts low wait times, cashless transactions, the convenience of its app and driver reviews as some of its benefits. The company also reports its services reduced DUIs “by more than 10% in Seattle.”

For anyone meeting Uber’s criteria, there are opportunities to make money as a driver. Drivers set their own hours, and work on their own time.

Uber driver Brenda Laird, who has earned more than $12,000 driving for the company, said students appreciate the service. “They can’t say thank you enough — especially the girls. They feel safer.”

The question remains for the City of whether it would be wrong to allow Uber to operate unlicensed if Eugene’s cab market is underserved. It appears, however, that Eugene’s cab market may be saturated.

In Salem, Oregon, a similarly sized city, there’s a licensed cab driver for every 2,769 residents. In Portland, that number drops to one for every 762. In Eugene, it’s one for every 569. Still, Steger said, uberX has seen high demand in Eugene.

When asked whether the company plans to pay the fines should it lose the appeal, Steger said the decision has yet to be made by its legal department.

Medary is hopeful that the City can amicably regulate Uber in Eugene, but said “it’s becoming apparent” that may not happen.

The City Council has asked for increased enforcement against Uber. Its next options are fining drivers or considering removing Uber from Eugene.

“It would be unfortunate for them to up and go,” Medary said. “I assumed we actually would set the standard for how this could happen across the rest of the country.”

“We are more than willing to resolve these problems, but we do ask them to create a definition within their code for TNCs,” Steger said.

Medary said the City made its stance clear: “They can either participate and make it work for them or not.”

Richard Nixon had one with Watergate and Bill Clinton had his with Monica Lewinski. Eliot Spitzer, Anthony Weiner, John Edwards, Newt Gingrich and even Hillary Clinton had one too. And now there’s John Kitzhaber. It seems that almost all politicians, regardless of their political affiliation, have their scandal. And in today’s world, most survive.

After it was revealed in January that Cylvia Hayes, Kitzhaber’s fiancée, may have received financial benefits due to her relationship with the governor, the public eye has been focused on the political turbulence in Salem. Portland alt-weekly Willamette Week then published an exposé showing Kitzhaber’s office attempted (unsuccessfully) to destroy thousands of emails. Oregonians had been trusting of Kitzhaber. And though state politicians called for him to resign, many Oregonians, especially young ones, weren’t as eager to oust the governor. Still, Kitzhaber resigned 32 days after entering an unprecedented fourth term in office.

Now, federal and state criminal investigations have been opened and ethics complaints have been filed against Kitzhaber. The charges are serious and so is the scandal. But, given its non-sexual nature and relative innocence compared to other political transgressions, even the New York Times has said some Oregonians “believe the whole thing may be much ado about little.”

In my eyes, these Oregonians know little of government accountability’s importance to society.

And society is reacting as it normally does — with disinterest — although this scandal may be different altogether. “It actually is quite different in that most governors are pretty resilient when it comes to surviving these kinds of scandals,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, associate professor of political science at the University of Houston. He didn’t expect Kitzhaber to resign. An apology would have been more likely of a well-respected governor.

In our post-Clinton-Lewinski fiasco world, a scandal carries with it a different ethos and an apology from Kitzhaber would have aligned with that new paradigm. Before mass media there, of course, were lapses in political accountability but they could be swept under the rug, silenced forever. And, when the news of stealing or cheating or wrong-doing did break, politicians were often reprimanded from the social fabric as forever irredeemable nuisances who breached the public’s trust.

Now the public forgets, according to Rottinghaus. Part of the root cause for our societal forgiveness and short-term memory may be desensitization to scandal. There was a time not too long ago when politicians were revered as sinless social servants. Redemption after public shame was more difficult to achieve back then. And shame was less public.

As rhetoricians put it, politicians use “tragic redemption” to regain the public’s trust. By scapegoating or publicly apologizing they seek to purify themselves to the masses who know no better than to forgive and forget. “Since the Clinton scandals, it’s become pretty apparent that the public looks the other way when it comes to these kinds of scandals,” said Rottinghaus. To me, that won’t do. Collectively we need a stronger resolve to uphold integrity and accountability in our politicians.

Yet Kitzhaber’s resignation, and likely eventual attempt at redemption, may actually boost his popularity. “In terms of public esteem, it may be that in fact presidents and governors grow in esteem depending on the circumstance,” said Rottinghaus. In this circumstance, Kitzhaber’s transgressions can be perceived as mostly innocuous to the public. And in short, much of the public, especially Oregon’s millennials, just don’t care, according to a Statesman Journal report.

That’s not right. There’s an air of forgiveness that in many respects is not appropriate to allow our public servants to take advantage of. And, Kitzhaber may still benefit from our collective short attention span. His time as Oregon’s governor may be over but his political influence can rebound in ways that we may not expect (e.g. Bill Clinton’s power is perhaps greater now than ever).

If the public cares, the politicians will too. The only way to change the behaviour of politicians is to impose consequences on them for betraying our trust and breaking our laws. And, now that we do have tools like social media that enable us to opine fervently, we should take to them and let our leaders know just how we feel.

Follow Gordon Friedman @gordonrfriedman

Footwear designer Christian Louboutin said, “A shoe has so much more to offer than just to walk.” My mom, as I tried on a pair of classless rouge wingtips, said, “Your feet walk into the room first! Don’t be too loud!”

Footwear says a lot about a person. But what does a shoe say about itself? In today’s utilitarian world, most shoes say little of craftsmanship. After all, have you ever met a cordwainer?

There is hope. The “Buy It For Life” movement is gaining momentum online with consumers pursuing quality. Popular sites tout products that only need to be bought once (reddit.com/r/buyitforlife, boughtitonce.com and bifl.org for example). Some of the brands featured on these sites include Maytag, Craftsman and Red Wing. Nobody has ever heard of the products from these brands breaking because they don’t.

The Red Wing Shoe Company, based in Red Wing, Minnesota, has been making superb boots since 1905, and they still do it by hand. Each boot is crafted from hides tanned by S.B. Foot Tanning Co., founded in 1872. (The tannery is also in Red Wing, MN and owned by Red Wing since 1986.) The all-leather uppers are hand triple stitched to oil resistant soles with heels nail-seated for easy replacement with wear. The company offers a range of shoes, but its “Heritage” collection are popular style favorites.

How do they do it? Craftsmanship. The same narrative as other classic brands, Red Wing’s were designed to be functional first. A hundred years ago, iron miners wore these boots. In today’s nostalgic revival of high-quality products, Red Wing’s Heritage collection has seen a resurgence of 20-somethings looking for sturdy, attractive products.

The Iron Ranger Style No. 8111, not for the faint of heart, is a heavy 6” all-leather boot with a sturdy double-leather captoe (a precursor to steel-toes). After more than two months of daily wear resulting in blisters, they finally break in. The pair is 3 lbs, heavy enough to cause paresthesia in crossed legs. But, the boots are en vogue and practical. The physical pain required to tame them adds to their je ne sais quoi. Only through sustained agony can they truly be yours. Once tamed, they wear like plush slippers.

The Classic Moc Style No. 875 is constructed with softer leather, which makes for an easier break-in. The white rubber outsole is a delight; standing in these boots for a full day is a breeze. Classic Mocs are without the robust double captoe however, so don’t go mining iron in these shoes.

At $300 a pair, Red Wings aren’t cheap. But, with cleaning and maintenance, they can last a lifetime. And, when these boots walk into the room they proudly proclaim, “We have so much more to offer than just to walk.”

Follow Gordon Friedman on Twitter @gordonrfriedman

The turn up was real on Saturday night as Washington, D.C. rapper Wale took the stage at the McDonald Theatre at about 10:30 p.m. during his Simply Nothing Tour, promoting the upcoming release of his record, The Album About Nothing.

Wale’s music is a mix of soulful, percussion driven and lyrical romance songs that could easily be the slow dance standards of today’s clubs, like his song “The Body,” and aggressive, hard hitting hip-hop that calls the audience not only to their feet, but to the air, jumping with the beat. Although the performance displayed just about every trope of today’s rap giants (and the ridiculous bravado that comes along with them), Wale presented himself seriously and ensured Eugene felt his passion for the party.

Audio Push, a duo of rappers Oktane and Pricetag from Inland Empire, California (most famous for their 2009 hit that inspired the dance style Jerkin’, “Teach Me How To Jerk“) was the night’s most notable opener. Their high energy beats were matched by their high energy stage antics and rapping skills. Both displayed an undeniably skillful flow, taking turns at the mic and getting the crowd riled up.

“Who got the flame?” Oktane asked the crowd as he looked for someone to light a joint for him. “I need a lighter! If you got the tree, light it up!” he yelled out. The group played their new single “Quick Fast” which features Wale, a powerful hit that exclaims unapologetically what the group is about: money, rapping and yes – purple drank.

As Wale, a 30-year-old Nigerian American whose real name is Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, took the stage, it came as somewhat of a surprise to see real musicians begin playing: a keyboardist on one side of the stage began a smooth melody, a bassist on the other side joined in and a drummer brought them all together. (The musicians later appeared to be mostly props; the keyboardist sat for most of the set with his hands in his lap and the bassist was mostly chewing gum and fist pumping.)

A sound bite of Jerry Seinfeld began playing, leading Wale in as he ran on stage. “My only fear is mediocrity,” Wale said. Apparently Seinfeld and Wale are actually good friends. “I cannot believe you were not in the top-10!” Seinfeld says to Wale during an interview they did together for Complex, referring to Wale’s now famous angry phone call threatening Complex’s staff because his album, The Gifted, didn’t make it into their top 50 list. “It’s fine,” Wale says under his breath.

As the set progressed, Wale became more animated and involved with the crowd. At first he came on stage dressed in a black coat, black t-shirt, black jeans and sneakers, his trademark dreadlocks hidden away beneath a Rastacap. A few songs later, the jacket and hat were gone, and Wale lit a joint of his own.

“Turn the fuck up, Eugene,” he said, and the crowd reacted with cheers and their own plumes of smoke. Then he played “Friendship Heights,” the chorus of which is sung, “I always fall for bitches like you. I can’t help myself.”

Wale is good at doing what he wants to do. He isn’t trying to make conscious or so-called “intelligent” rap the likes of Nas or Mos Def; his music is about the other parts of life that are just as powerful for him – women, haters, partying, his role models, his past. And, the narrative of “I just do me” is what the audience wanted. The Album About Nothing is clearly not about nothing – it’s about whatever Wale wants.

Many of the fans knew his music well and enjoy his maverick attitude on life. “I like his flow,” University of Oregon senior Josh Higbee said. “Like when you’re listening to him you just nod your head and stuff like that.”

Another university student, Taylor Camelio, said he was attending the concert as part of a class project on race and hip-hop in Eugene. When asked if he’d learned anything so far he said, “I’m noticing the crowd is pretty white, but that’s expected in Eugene.” What was also expected was the body shaking bass and pumped up verses from Wale; the crowd got what they wanted. And, Wale, always asking for the turn up, seemed to get his too.

Follow Gordon Friedman at @gordonrfriedman