If students coming out of the School of Journalism and Communication played pass-the-buck as well as the dean, none would need to worry about finding a job. They too could have a career in higher education, where keeping big-name alumni happy is the name of the game, and neglecting administrative duties is commonplace.
Alumnus Dan Wieden, president of nationally known advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy, is teaching a workshop offered through the journalism school. Wieden assigned students to creatively overcome various “fears.”
“Taken out of context, it could appear as if the students are being asked to engage in potentially illegal or unethical behaviors,” journalism Dean Tim Gleason wrote to the Emerald in a May 28 guest commentary.
One student was asked to go streaking, which is a misdemeanor. It was suggested that another student steal a present from a wedding, which, depending on the value of the present, could be a misdemeanor or a felony. One person was asked to lie to family members, professing an untrue sexual orientation. Another was asked to lie to a stranger, carrying on a conversation as though the two were friends.

Taken out of context, it would indeed seem that students are being asked to break the law or, possibly, their own moral code. But the course is intended to present students with difficult challenges, Gleason argues, ones that require them to creatively complete the tasks.
The problem, though, is that not all students will find innovative ways to accomplish the assignment, as was shown by senior Joe Leineweber’s naked prance through a local golf course. Leineweber never had any intention to go streaking. He was assigned to go streaking by Wieden. Gleason urged the student to find a creative way to complete the task. Leineweber thanked the dean for the advice and told him he would consider it.
And then Leineweber did exactly what he was assigned. He broke the law.
The journalism school can spend the rest of eternity arguing that students weren’t assigned to do anything wrong, that they were instead assigned to find ingenious ways of getting around the tasks. But look at what happened: A student broke the law because of a class assignment. There’s no way to get around that!
The journalism school — which is offering credit for the course and is ultimately responsible for what is being assigned — needed to intervene. Gleason needed to change students’ assignments, even if they were intent on completing the tasks. Students should not be assigned duties that involve breaking the law or lying, no matter the context. Clearly, some students are dumb enough to do it, and the school should have known better.
But the larger issue is how a student could even be assigned to break the law in the first place. Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorraine Davis said there is no provision in University policy that states teachers shall not assign students to break the law — it just seems obvious.
“It would make sense that illegal activities would not be promoted,” she said. “If we got a direct report or grievance, we would look into it.”
Well, the Emerald ran a front-page photo Friday of Leineweber at the golf course, unclad. In case our administrators missed it, take this opportunity to let them know how you feel. Gleason can be reached at 346-3739 or at [email protected]. Davis can be reached at 346-3081 or at [email protected]. University President Dave Frohnmayer can be reached at 346-3036 or at [email protected].
Before Leineweber broke the law, he had a friend write on his back, “I am in no way affiliated with the UO School of Journalism & Communication.” The truth is, we all are affiliated with the University, and what’s going on is wrong. It’s time for someone to intervene, to fix what’s happened, and to prevent it from happening to students in the future.
It’s a sad day when the University needs to create a provision in its Faculty Handbook to explicitly state that instructors are prohibited from assigning students to break the law.
Much to the discredit of our administrators, that day has come.