A chorus of complaints from Native American community members and Fairmount neighborhood residents has temporarily stalled the planning process of a new residence hall on the east side of campus.
After members of the Many Nations Longhouse on campus voiced concerns that the proposed design of the $75 million residence hall would hamper many of their traditional ceremonies, the Campus Planning Committee tabled a motion at its Wednesday meeting to approve necessary changes to the open space framework surrounding the site of the project.
The specific complaint from Longhouse members was that the hall would block morning sunlight from reaching the Longhouse. Gordon Bettles, the steward of the Longhouse, said the eastern light is an integral part of many native ceremonies and blocking it would be “an infringement on tribal cultural values.”
“I hope you consider the value that the tribes put on our world,” Bettles said to the CPC. “I don’t need planners and architects to compromise me.”
The dispute is now moving to the nine federated Native American tribes of Oregon and the University president’s office to be resolved. The CPC plans on coming back to the topic at its Nov. 19 meeting, but members seemed unwilling to move forward without first reaching an agreement.
Designers from ZGF Architects, the firm designing the residence hall, said at the meeting that a delay of two to four weeks would probably not have any negative impact, but any longer might be problematic. Construction on the hall is slated to be complete by April 2012.
Dave Hubin, senior assistant to the president, said the president’s office considers the problem a “front burner issue” and would try to fix it as soon as possible.
“I know that every University president I’ve worked with — three now — holds the relationship with the tribes to be of the highest importance,” Hubin said.
The planning committee considered approving the changes to the east campus open space framework under the condition that the longhouse issue first be resolved.
“We have to have confidence that the president will work with all due diligence,” Gregg Lobisser, chairman of the committee, said.
However, Bettles and many of the other committee members disagreed.
“If you approve the motion, you subordinate the nine tribes,” Bettles said. He said even conditionally approving it would be a back-door way to get the project done without addressing the concerns.
Other community members also voiced their concern with the proposed residence hall. Mary Ann Holser, member of the Fairmount Neighborhood Association, supported the Longhouse and said the community should have more time to give its input.
In the end, the motion to approve the open space framework was unanimously tabled.
“I think it was the right decision because the long-term issues with the residence hall need to be addressed, specifically with the Longhouse,” said CPC member and University student Andrew Crampton. “Once we have these concerns met, we can move forward.”
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