In response to your opinion piece, (“Pit Crew deserves no sympathy for ‘ordeal’” ODE, March 14) I wanted to take the time to say a few words. I felt as though the representation that came through in the Emerald did not do justice to the events as they transpired.
I can understand why the Athletic Department chose to make a list of students present to ensure that the most dedicated were the lucky few to get the tickets. It was such a great idea, go figure, that the Pit Crew decided to come up with a list ourselves. Drama ensued with the “check-off” system that was implemented to avoid students leaving the line for hours at a time and cutting back to the front later. For those who didn’t know, checks were done at random periodically through the late afternoon and night that was the equivalent of a role call.
Throughout the year, and the years before, as well as during ticket distribution for other sports, student lines have been self governed and self maintained. While the most dedicated are expected to camp out the entire night, it is also expected and agreeable among peers that people will step out of line to go to class, go to work, turn in a paper, or retrieve food for everyone else in line. One asks permission from the students waiting in line in the surrounding area, and spots are reserved while students perform necessary tasks. No system is without its faults, but for the seasoned veterans of line camp-outs, it’s just the way things have been done. So one can imagine when the Athletic Department tried to step in and suddenly take control of the situation, problems ensued.
Finally, a few notes in Pat Kilkenny’s defense, considering the debate over the conditions under which he was hired. Pat may be a donor to the University, but he is also doing an excellent job building rapport with the students and with the community so far. That’s good business and good politics. By picking up the tab and supporting the students, it helps appease the situation, and sheds a better light on the University of Oregon. If Oregon can do something for you, it encourages you to give back to Oregon. After all, the students standing in line may be the donors of tomorrow. Standing in that line may be a future Phil Knight, maybe a future Bill Gates. The 55 students who received tickets, and the more who camped out just to be with their friends, will potentially be private donors in due time. You give a little; you get a little something in return. Some people may not approve of the expenses being paid, but as someone who received her ticket on someone else’s tab, I wondered what I could do to give back. For the administration who feels as though more funding and more emphasis should be placed in academics, take a page out of Kilkenny’s book: Give something to the students, get them excited about the academic environment here, make them proud and inspired to be a part of it. When it’s their turn to give money to the school, Oregon could receive more funding for in the classroom from private donors since we arguably need more than is provided by the state. The Pit Crew deserves a little more credit than it’s getting. It’s a student group on campus supporting our student athletes, and building friends among strangers with at least one thing in common: our pride in being Ducks. The Pit Crew wasn’t asking for sympathy, just maybe a little understanding, and in the future, a little more communication.
Caitlin Hutchison is a University student