There was a noticeable tension on campus in the days after the presidential election on Nov. 8. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets, some of them preaching peace, others chanting, “Fuck Donald Trump!” Then, the night after the election, three high schoolers wore blackface and showed up outside a Black Student Union meeting on campus. A video of the incident spread quickly and made national news.
This sense of hostility on campus inspired a group of Allen Hall Advertising students to take action, and the “Reset the Code” campaign was born. The campaign, with its ubiquitous “95_” logo, hopes to make campus a better place for everyone.
The “95_” logo represents the shared first two digits of every student and staff member’s ID number. It has been posted all over campus throughout the last week.
According to AHA co-director Cameron Kokes, the campaign wanted to find something that unites everyone, while also showing that people are different. The ID number was a perfect symbol.
“The emblem is meant to unite and bond, but also recognize and respect the difference between each individual,” Kokes said.
On Sunday, a large banner went up on the EMU facing University St., which reads:
“When did watching and doing nothing become normal? What happened to our standard of reciprocal respect? It seems we are lost in a mire of ‘mine’ and not ‘ours.’ Sides taken, safety shaken, hate spewed like litter on the ground. No more. It’s time to stand ours, and revert to the common human core. Bond together and refuse this new mode.”
Resetting the Code references this new “mode” of hate. It means to “treat all with unwavering respect and kindness in a time when both are hard to come by,” according to the campaign website. The code references two things: the student ID number and the code of values that most children learn at a young age — to treat others the way you would like to be treated.
The campaign isn’t just about saying something, however. AHA co-director Lina Rode emphasized the need to take action.
“There’s a gap where people know that something isn’t right, but they aren’t comfortable enough to do anything about it,” Rode said. “We want people to have the tools to take action.”
Students can take the pledge at resetthecode.uoregon.edu. So far, 897 people and counting have “reset the code.”
Kokes says that the goal of the pledge is to see more people on campus going out of their way to be kind to one another.
“There’s always the goal of bringing campus a little closer. Everyone can identify with treating each other with mutual respect. I hope this campaign encourages that.”
AHA co-director Stephanie Hastings, who also directed art for the campaign, echoed that sentiment.
“At the end of the day, we just want everyone to feel safe on this campus,” Hastings said.
Reset the Code has partnered with 16 different organizations, including the Division of Student Life, the UO Athletic Department and Pac-12 Networks, to help spread their message as wide as possible. As a result, they hope to see a safer and more united campus at the University of Oregon.
The UO campus is getting ready to Reset. Are you? Take the pledge at https://t.co/lyacQso4nl pic.twitter.com/jV5Fvq5Q8O
— Reset the Code (@code_reset) January 16, 2017
Some Emerald employees were involved with the campaign, but none contributed to this story.
