Ducks, before you get swamped by ridiculous course loads, drugs, peer pressure and petitions, consider why you are here: for an education.
That entails your academic life, but also your community, so I encourage y’all to get in on the action and establish a peer network doing something you enjoy or identify with (there’s lots of it)! As students of the University of Oregon, we have a government, or rather, an association of students that cares enough to participate and speak up at some crucial meetings: the Associated Students of the University of Oregon.
The ASUO office is in the lower level of the EMU, past the amphitheater, and if you keep going into the building, you’ll see several more student groups and associations. But wait ­— there are more across the breezeway. You may see Club Sports (super cool!), and if you hang a left through those double doors you will see more student unions yet. You may also ask around for the Outdoor Program.
Every student is represented and if you feel as though you are not, gather up your friends and start a group, by golly! Politically speaking, each major is also represented in the ASUO (you are represented even if your major is undeclared). Your representatives meet weekly in a stuffy boardroom on the third floor of the EMU. The Daily Emerald, Oregon Commentator and The Student Insurgent give varying perspectives of what goes on up there. But you could, of course, go see for yourself. Because groups can only do so much outreach, and it’s way cooler if you step up and join the flock. The sooner you do, the sooner you may connect with resources, counseling, tutoring, revolution or what have you.
The students are theoretically represented by the University president’s open door policy of walk-in meetings (this precedent was appointed by the last one). The administration, functioning as a corporation that receives large donations from commercial interests and acts accordingly without ethical scruples (holding contracts with union-repressing companies like Russell Athletic and Nike), while preventing a teachers union from forming locally. The representation of student interests leaves something to be desired.
So come on out and join in. Nobody will judge you and if they do, judge ‘em right back! This is your campus, you pay for it — all of it. With so many opportunities, the real question becomes how are you going to change this place? Gather up your pens and papers, gather round all of your friends, gather round to make a difference.
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