A jury trial is set to begin on May 2 for former University of Oregon student Sean Donald Wood, who was arrested on sexual assault charges March 2016.

Sean Wood (Lane County Courthouse)

Wood is charged with unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree, attempting to commit a Class A felony, sexual abuse in the first degree, assault in the fourth degree and strangulation. These charges all stem from one incident that occurred in February 2016. Wood has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors also charged Wood for a September 2013 incident involving a separate victim. The state alleged that Wood “did unlawfully and knowingly subject [survivor] to sexual intercourse, the said [survivor] not consenting thereto.” The charge for the 2013 incident appears to have been dropped, as it is not present in the latest indictment.

The survivors of both alleged assaults were UO students. Wood was a student when he was arrested last year, but is no longer enrolled at the university. Wood’s parents posted $30,000 of his $300,000 bail following his arrest, and he was allowed to return home to San Diego. He is only allowed to travel between California and Oregon to go to court.

Here are the first charges brought against Wood in March 2016.

Here are the revised charges, brought in October 2016.

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The University of Oregon Police Department reported 65 crimes in its January campus crime log. This is up from 45 in December when school wasn’t in session.

Notable crime reports include burglaries at Deady and Lawrence halls, six DUIIs, 21 cases of theft or unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and a rape at the UO family/graduate student housing.

The Lawrence Hall burglary occurred on Jan. 20 at 3:30 a.m., when a UOPD officer was called to investigate what appeared to be a man sleeping in room 279. The officer found that Julius Ray Kamya, 30, had “unlawfully entered the building, taken a pair of safety glasses and food he had found in a refrigerator and was sleeping in the room.” Kamya was arrested and has been barred from UO property for 18 months.

Here’s the full breakdown of January crimes:

January 1:

DUII

DUII

January 2:

Burglary 2, Theft 2, Criminal Mischief

January 4:

Burglary 2, Theft 1

January 5:

Burglary 2, Criminal Mischief 1

DUII

Reckless Burning

January 6:

Criminal Mischief 2- Graffiti

January 7:

DUII

Possession of Meth

January 9:

Unauthorized Use of Vehicle, Possess Meth, Theft 1, Identity Theft, False Info to Police

Bicycle Theft 2

Theft 2 – Bike

January 10:

Theft 2 – Shoplift

Criminal Mischief 2 – Graffiti

Forgery 2, Theft 2 by Deception, Possess Forged Instrument

Theft 2 – Shoplift

Criminal Possession of Rented or Leased Property, Theft by Sales

UEMV, Theft 3, Criminal Mischief

January 11:

Theft 1

Unauthorized Use Vehicle

January 12:

Warrant Arrest

January 13:

Bicycle Theft 2

Telephone Harassment

Theft 2 – Shoplift

January 14:

Theft 1

January 15:

DUII

January 17:

Assault 1

Theft 1, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle, Criminal Mischief 2

Attempted Harassment

January 18:

Coercion

January 19:

Forgery 1

Theft 2 from Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle

January 20:

Burglary 2

Warrant Arrest

Identity Theft, Theft 2

Theft 3 – Shoplift

Physical Harassment

Harassment

January 21:

Disorderly conduct

January 22:

Minor in Possession of Alcohol

Theft 2 – Shoplift

Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle, Theft 2, Criminal Mischief 2, Fraudulent Use Credit Card, Theft 2 by Deception

January 23:

Criminal Mischief 2 – Graffiti

Theft 3 – Shoplift

Theft 2 – Shoplift

Theft 3

Criminal Trespass

Bicycle Theft 1, Interfere w/Police, Disorderly Conduct

Warrant Arrest

January 24:

Telephonic Harassment

January 26:

Assault 4 – APA

Recovered Stolen Vehicle

Rape

January 27:

DUII

Theft 2 from Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle

January 28:

Theft 1 from Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor Vehicle

Theft 1 from Vehicle, Unlawful Entry Motor

Minor Possession Alcohol

January 29:

Theft 3

Warrant Arrest

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In a statement released Sunday afternoon, the University of Oregon expressed support for international students in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration.

“We are troubled by the decision of the new U.S. administration to begin a process of closing our borders,” the statement from UO President Michael Schill and Provost Scott Coltrane read. “Many are concerned for our fellow students, faculty members, and staff members from the targeted countries.”

The university also announced that it has communicated directly with the 39 students from the seven predominantly-Muslim countries targeted by Trump’s visa ban, “recommending these students avoid travel outside the U.S., given the ban and ensuing uncertainty.”

Trump’s executive order blocks the entry of citizens of the following countries for the next 90 days: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

It is still unclear what will happen to international students from these countries who are in the U.S. legally. UO is currently in the process of hiring an administrator to be a resource to these students.

UO’s statement comes in response to President Trump approving a sweeping executive order on immigration on Friday. In addition to blocking travel from the countries mentioned above, the order suspends all refugees from entering the United States for 120 days and suspends Syrian refugees from entry indefinitely.

Perhaps most notably, the order initially blocked entry for people from those seven countries that hold U.S. green cards – people who are legal permanent residents of the U.S.

Chaos and confusion erupted on Saturday when travelers who were in the air at the time the order took effect were detained upon entry to the U.S.

Dozens of immigration lawyers went to the airports in New York and Washington D.C. to offer free counsel to those who were detained. By Saturday afternoon, a federal judge slowed the chaos by blocking part of Trump’s executive order, ensuring that those caught in U.S. airports would not immediately be deported.

According to the New York Times, there is currently “significant confusion and disagreement among border agents about who was affected by Trump’s order.”

This story is developing; updates to come.

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There was a noticeable tension on campus in the days after the presidential election on Nov. 8. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets, some of them preaching peace, others chanting, “Fuck Donald Trump!” Then, the night after the election, three high schoolers wore blackface and showed up outside a Black Student Union meeting on campus. A video of the incident spread quickly and made national news.

This sense of hostility on campus inspired a group of Allen Hall Advertising students to take action, and the “Reset the Code” campaign was born. The campaign, with its ubiquitous “95_” logo, hopes to make campus a better place for everyone.

The “95_” logo represents the shared first two digits of every student and staff member’s ID number. It has been posted all over campus throughout the last week.

According to AHA co-director Cameron Kokes, the campaign wanted to find something that unites everyone, while also showing that people are different. The ID number was a perfect symbol.

“The emblem is meant to unite and bond, but also recognize and respect the difference between each individual,” Kokes said.

On Sunday, a large banner went up on the EMU facing University St., which reads:

“When did watching and doing nothing become normal? What happened to our standard of reciprocal respect? It seems we are lost in a mire of ‘mine’ and not ‘ours.’ Sides taken, safety shaken, hate spewed like litter on the ground. No more. It’s time to stand ours, and revert to the common human core. Bond together and refuse this new mode.”

Resetting the Code references this new “mode” of hate. It means to “treat all with unwavering respect and kindness in a time when both are hard to come by,” according to the campaign website. The code references two things: the student ID number and the code of values that most children learn at a young age — to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

The campaign isn’t just about saying something, however. AHA co-director Lina Rode emphasized the need to take action.

“There’s a gap where people know that something isn’t right, but they aren’t comfortable enough to do anything about it,” Rode said. “We want people to have the tools to take action.”

Students can take the pledge at resetthecode.uoregon.edu. So far, 897 people and counting have “reset the code.”

Kokes says that the goal of the pledge is to see more people on campus going out of their way to be kind to one another.

“There’s always the goal of bringing campus a little closer. Everyone can identify with treating each other with mutual respect. I hope this campaign encourages that.”

AHA co-director Stephanie Hastings, who also directed art for the campaign, echoed that sentiment.

“At the end of the day, we just want everyone to feel safe on this campus,” Hastings said.

Reset the Code has partnered with 16 different organizations, including the Division of Student Life, the UO Athletic Department and Pac-12 Networks, to help spread their message as wide as possible. As a result, they hope to see a safer and more united campus at the University of Oregon.

The UO campus is getting ready to Reset. Are you? Take the pledge at https://t.co/lyacQso4nl pic.twitter.com/jV5Fvq5Q8O

— Reset the Code (@code_reset) January 16, 2017

Some Emerald employees were involved with the campaign, but none contributed to this story.

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Former University of Oregon law school student Ehvan Schectman sued the school on Nov. 10, court records show. Schectman alleges that the law school discriminated against his learning disability and then retaliated against him when he complained about it.

Ehvan Schectman sued UO on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

Schectman is seeking an unspecified amount for damages and emotional distress he claims to have suffered as a result of the law school failing to accommodate his learning disability. The suit alleges that he was not granted certain legally required accommodations, such as using grammar and spell check software for his essay tests, because they would have given him an unfair advantage compared to other students.

Schectman, represented by his father’s law office, is also suing the UO Law School assistant dean for student affairs, Nicole Commissiong. Schectman alleges that Commissiong made him repeat the phrase, “I am normal” during a meeting in her office about his learning disability.

Additionally, Schectman alleges that he was unfairly placed on emergency temporary suspension from the school in November 2015 by student conduct director Sandy Weintraub.

According to the lawsuit, Schectman grew increasingly frustrated with the law school after repeated meetings with faculty to discuss his test taking and tutoring accommodations. Schectman eventually took these frustrations out in a Facebook post, which used the “slang he typically uses when communicating with his similarly-aged friends online,” the lawsuit states.

UO Law School Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Nicole Commissiong faces a lawsuit by Schectman. (Photo courtesy of UO)

The post was quickly removed, but not before a law school employee saw and saved it. A few days later, Schectman allegedly received the following email from Sandy Weintraub:

“I am placing you on temporary suspension beginning immediately (11/18/15) because of a message that you posted on public social media that was reasonably viewed as a threat to students and staff at the University of Oregon.”

Schectman’s lawsuit does not specify what the Facebook post said. The Emerald is actively seeking a copy of the post.

Weintraub declined to comment on this story.

Schectman is being represented by Eugene attorney Andrew Lewinter and the law office of Steven Schectman, his father.

According to UO spokesman Tobin Klinger, the university is aware of the lawsuit and will address it through “appropriate channels.” He did not answer questions about the case because it is an open legal matter.

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President-elect Donald J. Trump has offered the Secretary of the Interior cabinet position to Montana Republican Representative Ryan Zinke, according to the Associated Press.

Zinke, 55, graduated from University of Oregon, where he was an offensive lineman on the football team from 1980-83. Zinke is an ex-Navy SEAL who earned two bronze stars for combat missions in Iraq, according to CNN.   

Should he accept Trump’s offer, Zinke will lead the U.S. Department of the Interior, which according to its website, “protects and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage.”

Zinke made headlines during his 2014 house campaign for calling Hillary Clinton the “anti-christ.”

“Congressman Zinke is a strong advocate for American energy independence. And he supports an all-encompassing energy policy that includes renewable, fossil fuels and alternative energy,” Trump transition spokesman Jason Miller told reporters on Tuesday. “Congressman Zinke believes we need to find a way to cut through bureaucracy to ensure our nation’s parks, forests, and other public areas are properly maintained and used effectively.”

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The University of Oregon has reached a settlement agreement, pending Board of Trustees approval, with the two contractors and architectural firm it sued last March for the allegedly poor construction of Global Scholars Hall.

After more than 18 months of legal work and “extensive mediation,” the parties came to the settlement agreement on Nov. 29. UO paid its attorneys at Lane Powell PC $568,887 for work related to this case.

A summary of the settlement agreement is included in the agenda for Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting in Portland. The key provision of the agreement is that the defendants, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, Catena Consulting Engineers and Hoffman Construction Company, will pay UO $6,917,443 by April 15, 2017. Catena will also provide structural repairs to GSH at no charge, and UO will drop any further litigation against the three defendants.

The Board of Trustees will vote Friday whether or not to approve the agreement. UO administration has recommended that the Board pass the agreement, according to documents in the meeting agenda.

UO sued ZGF, Catena Consulting and Hoffman Construction in March 2015, alleging that the contractors were responsible for “deflection and cracking” of the foundation and concrete floors in GSH, which opened in 2012. According to UO’s complaint, “The defects associated with deflection have compromised the building’s serviceability, full functionality for its intended purposes, its durability and its aesthetics.”

UO originally sued for $8.5 million but amended the complaint a year later, seeking $42.9 million. Despite the defects, UO has stressed that there are currently no safety concerns for residents of GSH.

University spokesman Tobin Klinger declined to comment on the settlement until after the Board votes.

If the Board votes against approving the settlement on Friday, a trial for the case is set to begin Jan. 30, 2017.

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The University of Oregon held an active shooter training for staff and students at the EMU on Wednesday, two days after a student attacked and injured 11 at Ohio State University.

The training was intended to develop a safer campus by teaching staff and students how to watch for warning signs and respond in the event an attack does happen.

Shelly Kerr, a psychologist with the UO Counseling and Testing Center, spoke about looking for behavioral warning signs that could indicate someone is planning an attack.

“These situations rarely occur without warning signs,” Kerr said. “If you think something might be wrong, don’t stay quiet.”

Warning signs to look for include a history of anger and intimidation, an obsession with weapons, violence or previous shootings, and an “injustice collector” attitude – someone who is constantly blaming their problems on others.

However, just because a person exhibits these traits does not mean they are planning a violent attack. According to Kerr, college students often deal with stress in less effective ways than older adults, which sometimes appears as dangerous behavior. These warning signs rarely mean someone is actually planning an attack, but it is best to be safe and notify UOPD or the Dean of Students office of red flags regardless.

Kerr said that while it is important to prepare for this situation, students should not live in constant fear.

“This is still a very rare occurrence,” she said. “One incident is too many, however, and that’s why we prepare for this.”

After Kerr finished speaking, Sergeant Scott Geeting with UOPD gave a presentation on what to do if you find yourself in an active shooter situation.

The current national protocol for these situations is called “Run, Hide, Fight.” People who find themselves in an active shooting should run to safety or hide behind locked doors if possible. Otherwise, they should look for nearby objects that could be used as weapons to incapacitate the shooter.

According to Time Magazine, there were 23 shootings on college campuses in 2015. This includes the high profile shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, where nine people were killed and nine more injured.

Kerr said UO wants to have as many systems as possible in place to reduce the risk of a violent incident, though she knows the risk cannot be eliminated entirely.

“This is a shared responsibility, keeping the campus safe,” Kerr said. “With the training, we want to create confidence in your ability to survive a shooting situation.”

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University of Oregon senior Mikayla Ashten, like many UO students, frequents Taylor’s Bar and Grill on the weekends. The popular bar, located across the street from campus on 13th Avenue, is usually packed with students from Wednesday to Saturday night.

Ashten usually pays her bar tab on her debit card, and leaves a cash tip. Recently, however, she’s suspected that her card was getting charged for more than the amount she owed. Last Thursday, she saved her receipt to prove it.

Her suspicion was correct. Her card was charged $21.50, when she should have been billed $18.

Ashten reported the issue to her bank, and went into Taylor’s the next day to ask about it.

“The bartender apologized and said things get crazy, receipts get wet and he’s sure it was a mistake,” Ashten said. She also noted that he offered her a free drink and gave cash to compensate for the overcharge.

It turns out Ashten isn’t the only one who’s had issues being overcharged at Taylor’s. The Emerald has obtained pictures of bank statements from multiple people proving that they were overcharged.

On Sunday, Ashten tweeted a photo of her Taylor’s receipt next to the charge from her bank. The tweet gathered more than 75 retweets, and people started to reply with their own experiences.

“Happens every time,” one person replied.

“Happens to me probably once or twice a month,” wrote another.

In total, four people responded to the tweet saying it happened to them.

Additionally, five reviewers on Facebook and Yelp from the last year and a half accuse Taylor’s of overcharging their credit cards.

The Emerald spoke with the mother of a student, who wishes to remain anonymous, that says this frequently happens to her daughter. When she and her husband were in town for last weekend’s football game, they decided not to leave a tip on purpose to see if Taylor’s added one on the card. Taylor’s did. The mother reported the incident to Eugene Police this week, and she says an officer contacted her via email to follow up on the incident.

UO senior Sarah Visse, who goes to Taylor’s around once a week, has also noticed the issue. She, like Ashten, decided to save her receipt on a recent trip. According to Visse, her card should have been charged $14.50, but instead was charged $15.50.

Visse’s bank statment for the charge on the above receipt.

“Only $1 was added, but that’s still illegal,” Visse said. “This has happened to my friends too.”

Visse provided additional photos she got from a friend, whose card was overcharged three separate times in one night. The first image is a picture of text messages from the friend’s bank, which alerts her every time her card is used. The friend scratched out the tip line on all three of her receipts. Despite this, Taylor’s added a tip each time. The second image shows the actual amount the bank charged her account. The $2 charge was changed to $3, the $4 charge was changed to $4.50, and the $8.00 charged was changed to $9.

Text messages alerting Visse’s friend of her card use at Taylor’s.

Visse’s friend’s bank statement, showing the amount her card was actually charged.

Based upon Yelp reviews, these allegations aren’t new. A January 2014 review says, “Overcharged my debit card twice in a row!” Another Yelp review, from August 2015, says, “When checking my bank statement, I saw that they had overcharged me. This has happened to more than a handful of my friends.”

More recently, a Taylor’s Facebook review from Nov. 16 said, “If it’s anything close to busy and the bartenders think you’ve had enough to drink, they’ll overcharge you on your card transaction and add a tip you didn’t give.”

Eric Clarke, a 2007 UO grad and general manager of Taylor’s, said he thinks a lot of these accusations come from people who are unaware of their gratuity policy.

“When tabs are left open, it’s our policy to charge a 20% gratuity. That’s posted in our store, and that’s an industry standard.”

When asked about the students who closed their tab with (or without) a tip and still reported being overcharged, he said, “If someone closed their tab and the card was overcharged, it was a mistake. We get thousands of people coming through here on weekends, it gets hectic, and honest mistakes happen.”  

Clarke said Taylor’s has not yet been contacted by Eugene police, and he was unaware of the investigation.

“We value our regulars, and want to treat them right. If we don’t have them, we don’t have anything going for us. We want to be a positive place for the UO community.”

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Two students at Oregon State University have been hospitalized this week with meningococcal disease, according to the Corvallis Gazette Times.

Seth Collins, a wide receiver with the Oregon State football team, is believed to be the first student hospitalized, according to The Oregonian. He was admitted to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Corvallis on Monday.

The second student, admitted on Thursday, has not been identified. Both students are reportedly in good condition, the Gazette Times reported.

Meningococcal disease is a rare but serious bacterial infection. Symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, mental confusion and increased sensitivity to light, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It can be deadly if not treated quickly.

There was a meningococcal disease outbreak at University of Oregon in the 2014-15 school year, with seven confirmed cases among UO students. UO student-athlete Lauren Jones died of the disease in 2015.

According to the University Health Center, the UO outbreak is over as of July 1.

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