A Message to Our Campus Community
In response to the decision of the State Board this last Monday, I would like to emphatically thank President Lariviere for his three years of dedicated service to the University of Oregon. It has been an honor to work with him as we have partnered to serve the students of our university, and the ASUO will continue to work with him for the remainder of his time as our University President. President Lariviere has shown incredible leadership in a difficult and complicated job. Through his decisions and actions he has demonstrated his profound commitment to the success of our University time and time again. I have been particularly impressed by and appreciative of his sincere commitment to the University’s academic excellence and to advancing initiatives to promote many forms of diversity on our campus. I wish him and Jan all the best moving forward and I offer the heartfelt thanks of our student body for his outstanding service.
We are aware that many students are asking what the decision of the State Board yesterday means for the future of our institution. In the past several days of turmoil and uncertainty, the ASUO has made student involvement in decisions affecting our University’s future a top priority. We must ensure that students will be meaningfully engaged in all decisions moving forward. I have already communicated this message to the Chancellor’s Office and to the State Board of Higher Education repeatedly, and the ASUO Executive will continue to fight to make sure that student voices are placed at the center of this process. We will continue to reach out to students, faculty, staff, administration, the Oregon University System, and the State Board of Higher Education to see to it that the concerns of the student body are addressed. The State Board owes students a place at the table whenever the future of our university is discussed, and I guarantee that the ASUO will work tirelessly to ensure that students are provided the consultation we deserve.
In any change, there is both challenge and opportunity; there is both sorrow and hope. We cannot always control what changes confront us, but we can and must come together as a campus community to respond with ambition, vision, and courage. Let us join together in this moment to take an active role in shaping our future. I am confident that together we can overcome the challenges, seize the opportunities, and continue to make the University of Oregon the best that it can be.
Ben Eckstein
ASUO President