At the start of the holiday break, students and faculty filtered off campus, leaving the school grounds bear and classrooms empty. But for Campus Operations staff it’s business as usual.

“Even though there are no classes people still use the buildings,” said Linda Wright, custodial services supervisor. “We do spend more time detailing in the classrooms which is something we can’t get to during the regular class schedule.”

For custodial staff, some holiday responsibilities include tasks that are difficult when students are coming in and out of classrooms. Some tasks include high and low dusting, washing table tops and extensive cleaning of floors and carpets.

“The breaks don’t seem to slow things down for the grounds crew who work hard to keep the campus exterior clean, safe and beautiful,” said Daniel Graham, custodial supervisor.

Graham explained that during the break each fire alarm and system are tested and the zone maintenance crews perform preventative maintenance and repairs to systems that need to be shut down during low activity periods. These systems, such as fume hoods, heating and venting and air conditioning units, are shut down to be less disruptive.

According to Graham, the custodial staff usually works normal shifts during the winter break. However, having the three holidays — Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s — during the break limits the normal hours by 27 percent. Along with many of the staff who chose to take their accrued leave during the holidays, Graham estimated that the maintenance crews work 60 to 65 percent of the physical hours of a normal three-week period.

By supplementing their hours, maintenance workers made an additional amount of money during the snow storm due to the high demand for repairs and safety precautions.

“This year the snow storm resulted in a campus closure during which only essential personnel reported to work,” Graham said. “In this case the custodians were not essential personnel and did not report for one shift. Those employees required to work as essential personnel shall be paid at the rate of time-and-one half during the closure.”

With their ugly Christmas sweaters, holiday socks and reindeer antlers, nearly 400 racers of all ages crossed the finish line for the Eugene Holiday Half Marathon, Kids Run and Hustle 10k and 5k.

Piper Ruiz, run director, started the run last year in association with her business Pink Buffalo Racing to share her holiday spirit and bring people together during the holiday season.

“We started the Eugene Holiday Half because we wanted to start a half marathon race in December and we love the holidays and what they stand for: family, gift giving, being together, generosity, sharing and making memories,” Ruiz said. “We thought wouldn’t it be fun to have a half in December in Eugene.”

With all three races taking place on the Fern Ridge Path in Eugene, this marks the second annual race. Participation is significantly higher this year with runners increasing from about 125 participants to now about 400″We have definitely grown this year,” Ruiz said. “Last year we dealt with a lot of the nuts and bolts and race details and it was really labor intensive.”

Not only is the half marathon a great healthy holiday activity for all ages and skill levels, but many of the proceeds from registrants are donated to local organization Ophelia’s Place. The organization is a community for girls ages 10 to 18 that aids young women through their physical, social and emotional development. Ophelia’s Place board members, interns and volunteers encourage you women with their support, homework help and various daily activities.

For Melissa Brown, senior at the UO, volunteering for the run was an opportunity presented to her through her internship at Ophelia’s Place. She is one of about 25 volunteers helping to direct runners to their final destination, supply water at aid stations and cheer and encourage eager runners.

“I wanted to volunteer because it sounded like a fun and festive event and I love that the proceeds go to such a great organization,” Brown said. “Plus, I love getting to interact with all the different people. My favorite part is getting the opportunity to help out and interacting and cheering everyone on.”

Along with starting the Holiday Half last year, Pink Buffalo Racing also sponsors four other races during the year.  They include the Mardi Gras 5k in March, the Easter Egg Stash Dash in April, the Grapes of Half, a half and full marathon in late April and the Eugene Running of the Bulls featuring the derby girls in July.

“We are just so happy that people are happy and that it has grown,” Ruiz said.

As other student unions and programs around campus are throwing ugly christmas sweater parties and secret santa exchanges, the University of Oregon’s Black Student Union is preparing for their celebration of Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and is recognized to honor the African heritage and African American culture. Similar to other December holidays it entails a large feast and gift giving.

“The Black Student Union celebrates it slightly different than most,” said Olivia Manwarren, co-director of BSU. “We do it to build unity between our members. We come to campus and cook a big meal together. Then together we serve a meal, have programs like African dancing and poetry reading and have a keynote speaker.”

The holiday of Kwanzaa started in 1966 and was the first African-American specific holiday. The goal of the holiday is to celebrate what the founder, Maulana Karenga, called the seven principles or the communitarian African philosophy.

Kwanzaa celebrates the “Kawaida,” the Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each of the seven days represents one of the seven principles which include unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba) and faith (Imani).

“It helps us build unity throughout our community and to help recognize our African heritage at the same time,” Manwarren said. “The most important part of our representation of the holiday is unity, being together and building that community with each other.”

When decorating and preparing for Kwanzaa, families typically decorate their homes with colorful art such as cloth and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. There are also Kwanzaa ceremonies which include customary acts of gratitude from children to their ancestors as well as libations, a reading of the African pledge a reflection of the Pan-African colors, a candle lighting ritual, an artistic performance and a large feast.

“We take pride in having Kwanzaa being our keystone event,” said Godwin Nwando, co-director of the BSU. “This is a time of the year to celebrate our history, our community and what has gone on through the years. It gives us a chance to sing, laugh and be a part of the community and have a good time.”

The BSU event was supposed to be held the first week of December, but due to the snow, it was postponed to a date in January.

The goal of the event is to fill the gap of understanding and allow both non BSU students and members of their union to understand what the holiday is about, Manwarren explained.

“I’ve actually asked several people recently what Kwanzaa is about and no one has been able to give me an answer,” said Brad Burke, undergraduate at the UO. “I don’t know much about Kwanzaa. Sticking with the general theme of the many other holiday gatherings during December, it’s about celebrating by spending time with the family.”

As University of Oregon students are preparing for finals week, they are also trying to keep warm as the traditional winter weather has been increasingly cooler.

On top of a National Weather Service report distributed to students and faculty about the possibility of two to four inches of snowfall Thursday night, below freezing temperatures and icy roads and sidewalks have been more common around campus.

According to an info-graphic shared by Krista Dillon, the assistant director for UO emergency management & continuity, (UOEMC), approximately 60 people in the United States die each year as a result of slipping on ice.

“Whenever there is hazardous weather, especially snow and ice, it is important for people to slow down,” said Kelly McIver, communications director at UOPD. “It is really important to take your time, look where you’re going and put extra thought into things you might not normally pay attention to.”

There are many ways to prevent slipping on ice and getting to class in one piece. Traveled pathways that are directly in the sun are often less icy and could allow students to walk to class more safety. Additionally, if driving, take precaution and be aware of your surroundings. Plan ahead and be sure that you can arrive at your final destination safety.

“Members of the campus community are expected to use their best judgment in assessing the risk of coming to campus and returning home, based on individual circumstances,” Dillon said.

Additionally paying attention to your center of gravity and keeping your weight over your front leg, similar to a penguin, can help prevent slipping. It may sound silly, but penguins don’t slip as often as students do.

“No matter your mode of transportation remember that every activity will just have to be a little more deliberate than you would make it on every other day,” McIver said.

For more coverage of today’s snowfall, check out our topics page.

As University of Oregon students packed up to go home and feast on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, Food for Lane County, along with other local organizations, supplied meals and food boxes for surrounding community members in need of assistance.

“Hunger is more prevalent than people think and that is because people are really good at faking it,” said Karen Edmonds, programs and services director at Food for Lane County. “Thirty-nine percent of people living in Lane County are eligible for food boxes.”

Oregon has the highest rate of food insecurity in the country, and Lane County is contributing more to that rate each year, according to statistics gathered by Food for Lane County. In 2013, 138,000 individuals living in Lane County are eligible for food assistance, up from 124,000 last year.

According to Food for Lane County, this includes 30 percent of children with limited food resources and 80 percent of children in grades kindergarten through eighth who come to school hungry once a week.

“Hunger can look different for different families. Sometimes it’s not being able to have well-rounded meals. Sometimes it’s relying on school lunches to fill the gap or relying on family and friends,” Edmonds said. “If people want to help they can donate food and donate money. The food bank is fueled by donations. They can also donate their time and advocate for hunger. Volunteering is an amazing part of helping eliminating hunger.”

Following the advice, along with generous donations from Food for Lane County, the UO food pantry is just one of many organizations on campus helping to eliminate the struggle to buy food and helping to bridge the gap between eating healthy and a tight budget. With just under 90 students coming per week, the pantry provides meals every Thursday for anyone at the university.

“The assumption is that students’ budgets are tight,” said Doug Hale, director of UO Food Pantry. “Certainly people could be coming simply because they want free food, but there are also people that are clearly coming back because they are in need. Particularly the ones that will show up an hour early and wait in line.”

Both Food for Lane County and the food pantry strive to support those in need and express that needing help isn’t something to be ashamed of. UO undergraduate student Troy Phillips explained that whether represented  in a lack of access to food or an inability to access food that is nutritionally sustaining, hunger is something that he recognizes as a severe issue.

“Living on campus, people are not confronted with realities, and when they do move out into the city, I think it can prove overwhelming to be faced with this seemingly endemic problem,” Phillips said. “Students aren’t the face of hunger in the Eugene community, but in many cases they are a large portion of the population facing this issue. Hunger is a systemic problem that results in other social ills.”

Healthcare has been a popular topic in the United States lately. And, according to a survey done by Bloomberg, when looking at how much each country pays in comparison to the quality of the healthcare, out of the 48 countries studied, the U.S. ranks 46th, outpacing only Brazil and Serbia.

Upon this discovery, Oliver Alexander, senior at the University of Oregon studying business administration, and recent UO graduate Orion Falvey began working together to implement a better healthcare system for local rural areas.

“Orchid Health is about finding new ways to deliver primary care to rural areas because they are notoriously underserved,” Alexander said. “Over the past year we have done a lot of research to figure out why that is and the key stress points and how we can make it affordable for rural areas.”

The idea started with the Oregon Social Business Challenge in October 2012. Alexander and Falvey constructed a plan that would utilize a van to supply temporary healthcare to local rural areas. After winning second place in the competition and receiving an overwhelming amount of community support, the town of Oakridge reached out wanting their help.

“The more we talked to them the more we realized that rural areas don’t need healthcare every once and a while. They need permanent healthcare and that’s when we decided to open our own health clinic,” Alexander said. “During that year we had to solidify our business model talk to countless industry professionals, people from the state, local business professors, attorneys and accountants.”

They discovered that in order to make their model successful, the cost and quality of healthcare would have to differ from that which they were accustomed to. Instead, the clinic is designed to the eliminate profits that other board of directors would generally require.

“You can’t have the same cost and quality of healthcare in rural areas. You have to see a lot of people to keep the doors open in a rural area,” Falvey said. “You would have to see a patient almost every 10 minutes to be able to see enough people to keep the doors open. We are focusing on the everyday part of healthcare, being able to see your doctor when you need to, keeping people healthy and out of the hospitals and preventing surgeries.”

After speaking with insurance companies and working through the huge education process, Alexander and Falvey have recently unveiled their campaign to fund their clinic in Oakridge, Ore. The campaign is to provide more primary care which will account for about 90 percent of the community’s healthcare needs.

“I graduated last spring when Orchid was just an idea,” Falvey said. “I was looking at a few different business projects trying to figure out which was going to take off and over the summer we worked a lot, almost 12 hours a day, and that’s when I decided you know, this is happening, I am moving back to Eugene, I’m starting this business and it’s exciting. It’s really great.”

Every day, thousands of students walk by the 113-year-old Collier House without realizing what it is or why it is still there.

“I know that it is across from the EMU,” said Courtney Taylor, an undergraduate at the University of Oregon. “I have heard of it but I don’t know what it is.”

Although few students know of its existence, the Collier House is one of the most historic buildings on campus. Not only has it housed multiple university presidents but it also, at one time, served as a restaurant, a pub, a library and even a dormitory.

The house was built in 1886 by UO physics professor George Collier and his family, and until 1893 it was one of only three buildings on campus including Deady Hall and Villard Hall. In 1896 Collier retired and sold the house to the university.

It was then decided that the house would be used as a library downstairs while the upstairs would house future presidents. Over the next 40 years, the upstairs of the house served as homes to two state chancellors and five university presidents, including Prince Lucien Campbell and Donald Erb, as well as transforming into a restaurant open to the public.

Similar to many of the UO buildings, the Collier House was only open exclusively to male faculty members until the 1960s. In fact, the house was open strictly for males until one day a female faculty member ate lunch at the house, not knowing of its exclusivity. It wasn’t until 1975 that the Collier House library and the Faculty Club Restaurant would be open to the public.

As the restaurant’s business began to dwindle in the early 1990s, a basement was built in the Collier House, and soon after, Clancy Thurber’s Pub was opened. It was a success for a short while but as the building began to age and renovations needed to be made, business was nearly impossible.

After many failed endowments were made asking the university for renovation funds, the board decided to close down the Collier House in the summer of 1999.

Now, the Collier House serves as classrooms for the music department and to host community events.

Every day, thousands of students walk by the 113-year-old Collier House without realizing what it is or why it is still there.

“I know that it is across from the EMU,” said Courtney Taylor, an undergraduate at the University of Oregon. “I have heard of it but I don’t know what it is.”

Although few students know of its existence, the Collier House is one of the most historic buildings on campus. Not only has it housed multiple university presidents but it also, at one time, served as a restaurant, a pub, a library and even a dormitory.

The house was built in 1886 by UO physics professor George Collier and his family, and until 1893 it was one of only three buildings on campus including Deady Hall and Villard Hall. In 1896 Collier retired and sold the house to the university.

It was then decided that the house would be used as a library downstairs while the upstairs would house future presidents. Over the next 40 years, the upstairs of the house served as homes to two state chancellors and five university presidents, including Prince Lucien Campbell and Donald Erb, as well as transforming into a restaurant open to the public.

Similar to many of the UO buildings, the Collier House was only open exclusively to male faculty members until the 1960s. In fact, the house was open strictly for males until one day a female faculty member ate lunch at the house, not knowing of its exclusivity. It wasn’t until 1975 that the Collier House library and the Faculty Club Restaurant would be open to the public.

As the restaurant’s business began to dwindle in the early 1990s, a basement was built in the Collier House, and soon after, Clancy Thurber’s Pub was opened. It was a success for a short while but as the building began to age and renovations needed to be made, business was nearly impossible.

After many failed endowments were made asking the university for renovation funds, the board decided to close down the Collier House in the summer of 1999.

Now, the Collier House serves as classrooms for the music department and to host community events.

Along with being the second largest student employer on the University of Oregon campus, between 4,000 and 6,000 students enter the doors the Student Recreation Center every day with between 72 and 75 percent of students taking at least one physical education class during their time here.

When the Rec Center was built in 1999, not only was it built for a maximum of about 3,500 students a day, it was also incomplete. The current building, which included renovation of Esslinger Hall in 2000, was built as the first of three phases, the second being the student tennis center and the third is the current expansion.

“After we got the ball rolling, we broke ground in August and we are right on schedule and set to open January of 2015,” said Bryan Haunert, associate director of facilities. “As of right now, we don’t see any reason why that goal won’t be attained. People probably think they are just getting more of what we already have, but when they walk in the doors in 2015 they are going to be absolutely blown away.”

In 2009, the university assessed whether the student body would support the expansion of the recreation center. Soon after, a referendum was made where students could vote whether or not to move forward. The referendum failed in December 2011 but 57 percent of students agreed to the expansion in a second vote.

“We weren’t pushing a ‘yes’ vote, we just put the information out there,’” Haunert said. “Some of the general concern is, ‘Why am I paying now if I am not going to be here next year?’ And I always say you have what you have right now because two years ago students paid early fees. We can’t build a building unless we have money to do it.’”

Once the vote passed, plans were set for a $38 million dollar budget, including all equipment and amenities. The plans include new locker rooms, a three-court gymnasium, new studios dedicated to cycling, a CrossFit gym and double the amount of fitness and weight space. The current six-lane pool will also be expanded to 12 lanes and include a leisure pool and hot tub.

“It is such an exciting time for campus. There is growth going on and creative opportunity going on,” said Kevin Marbury, director of the physical education and recreation department. “We could be on a campus where all the facilities are 150 years old and there is all that wonderful tradition and the like, and that is fine for some but for today’s students, I think they want the newest the latest. If I’m recruiting students, this is where I would want to be.”

Despite the construction, Marbury explained that the building will hopefully be awarded highly for sustainability, the fifth of its kind behind schools such as the University of Arizona and Iowa State. He explained that the existing pool will be transformed into a cistern, an underground container used to capture rainwater. This water will be generated through the building and used to flush toilets. 

“There are a lot of facilities that you stand in the middle of and you don’t necessarily know where you are,” Marbury said. “This one I think will speak and represent that this is the University of Oregon.”

Oregon State Board of Higher Education will meet on Nov. 15 to discuss renewing the presidential contract for UO President Michael Gottfredson through June 30th, 2016.

Per the Oregon State Board of Higher Education, Gottfredson was to initially be employed as the UO president from August 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015 and would only receive a one year extension if the interim chancellor recommended them based on their performance evaluation from the previous year.

Along with negotiating presidential agreements, various decisions within the presidential contract such as compensation and service time must await action from the full board. However, with presidential evaluations already being complete, Interim Chancellor Melody Rose recommended that Gottfredson’s employment agreement be extended one year through June 30, 2016.

UO Director of Communications Julie Brown explained that OUS always makes the final decisions.

“The university president is hired by the State Board of Higher Education and the Chancellor is the authority over the university president,” Brown said. “The entire process of a presidents employment is established by the state board. It’s not a process that happens on our campus.”

Brown explained that presidential contracts are set by the chancellors office and the state board of higher education and any input in the past or present is part of that process. She also explained the UO will not always be under OUS and that the process will eventually change once the independent governing board begins to have authority, but that will not take effect until July 2014.

Until then, all decisions, including the employment of Gottfredson will be made by OUS.