The past three months have been eventful, to say the least. So, even though you’re likely preparing to leave campus and forget all about the term’s tumults until next year, the Emerald Opinion Desk would like to present the top 10 stories and issues from throughout fall quarter that hit home, sometimes hard, for you, the students.
10. “UO receives conditional use permit,” ODE, Nov. 21
The construction of a new basketball arena at the University has sparked controversy in the community for years. Many students are resistant to the notion of spending millions of dollars on a new sporting arena in the face of academic budget shortfalls and a campus infrastructure in severe need of repair, especially when McArthur Court serves as an excellent and renowned basketball court in its own right. However, the University argues that the new arena’s increased capacity and modern amenities will benefit the school in the long run. Whatever your stance on the issue, the arena has been an ongoing debate that involves and affects not just students, but the Eugene community as a whole.
9. “Future of Duck football: UO keeps Kelly, Bellotti,” ODE, Dec. 3
There is no doubt that keeping the people who have done well in the athletic program at Oregon will be a good thing for the Ducks. The organizational architecture of the athletic department is important to students for two reasons: One, the more obvious, is that we’re all Duck fans and we love to see our student athletes succeed. The second, perhaps more personal, is the way the athletic department dovetails with the University to make sure the athletic program serves to supplement our academic mission, not replace it. It’s going to be important to for students to continue to pay attention to the University’s hiring decisions and the philosophies they expound.
8. “Wired White House,” ODE, Nov. 19 and “Tech, Web wire audience,” ODE, Oct. 8
Many critics consider Facebook and YouTube to be nothing more than disconnected, addictive wastes of time, but Barack Obama seems to be embracing such social media and is using them to interact with the American people, and even with people abroad. His motivation to connect with people worldwide is key to establishing a trusting relationship, especially with the younger generation. High school and college students are much more likely to become more involved with the political scene if they are able to view Obama’s videos on YouTube, or “friend” him on Facebook. Students connect with one another online, and now that Obama has established a solid online presence, they will be able to easily access regular updates of his plans as president.
7. “Downloaders beware,” ODE, Oct. 14
For many college students, downloading music is a common act, and the thought of legal repercussions seldom crosses their minds. But in October, more than 15 students were slapped with lawsuits from the Recording Industry Association of America for illegally obtaining music, including one who allegedly downloaded seven or eight songs. The file-sharing showdown became personal to these University students and to the student body as a whole, as it became clear that anyone who has ever enjoyed a few free downloads could be at risk of a possible lawsuit that could cost thousands. It’s hard not to get the impression the RIAA is reacting harshly out of a desperation to save an industry that is quickly becoming obsolete.
6. “2.5 million: over-realized fund,” ODE, Oct. 28
Each year there seems to be an increasingly hefty over-realized fund, but with record numbers of students this year, the fund has become the largest in University history. Why is this important? It’s more than 2 million dollars of your money. Changes to the fund and the incidental fee could give students back some of this money, but ideally, the system would be efficient enough that we wouldn’t be paying more than necessary in the first place. Until that happens, the ASUO gets to allocate your extra money as it sees fit.
5. “Ride the bus? Maybe not,” ODE, Oct. 17
The bus serves not only as one of the most important ways students (who often have limited transportation options) get to class, it also is important to consider within the context of a “new energy” economy. As the price of oil and its consequences to the environment continue to rise, transportation options other than cars will be essential to our long-term economic and national security. Students, therefore, have a stake in the decisions to cut Lane Transit District’s services as both primary users of the service to get to class, and as members of the next generation who will be impacted by the effects of transportation policy decisions.
4. “Closed search limits input,” ODE, Oct. 13
University President Dave Frohnmayer will be retiring at the end of this year, and instead of informing students and faculty of the candidates for his replacement, the University is conducting a closed search. There will be no input from the public, namely students and faculty, despite the fact this decision directly affects them and should be made with their input and awareness. The closed search prevents investigations of candidates and the ability to uncover information that would possibly disqualify them. Whatever happened to democracy and fair competition?
3. “From Wall Street to your wallet,” ODE, Sept. 30
Most college students have at least one thing in common: The willing repression of the memory of the ever-growing, massive amount of money we owe the banks that give us loans. Now, thanks to mishandling of market practices and the tanking economy, we’re not only going to have trouble getting the money we need to go to school and the education that will theoretically get us a job to help us pay back the debt, we may not even get those jobs at all. We see now just how connected everyone in America has become, and that if even one person high up screws up, we all pay the price, sometimes literally.
2. “A global farce?” ODE, Nov. 17
The core of scientific thought and process is skepticism. The core of education and free-thought is the willingness to say, “Who says?” when someone presents something as a fact. This article chronicles the story of a group of researchers who exercise that willingness on one of the most divisive and controversial issues facing our planet today: global warming. Attempting to convince us we shouldn’t be looking into lessening our carbon footprint seems a bit too far. It cannot be denied that lessening the negative impact our actions and advancements have on the planet is a good thing, and something that should be pursued. Still, the fearlessness to take an unpopular side of an issue and second-guess popular opinion is to be commended.
1. “A new dawn,” ODE, Nov. 5
The significance of Barack Obama’s election hardly needs stating. As our first black president, and one with the dedication and desire to make our country great, Obama has the unique opportunity to undo much of the damage done by eight years of the Bush administration. Now more than ever is our country in need of change. Our economy is in shambles, war in the Middle East has exceeded all cost and time frame, and our reputation abroad is laughable, at best. And whether you voted for Obama or not, his election was undoubtedly an important event at the college level, considering the sheer amount of youth involvement his campaign cultivated and the plans he has for improving higher education.
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