We’re past the term’s halfway point, and I felt it’d be a good time to review the latest updates to issues that are pertinent to both myself and the University community at large.

But first a little digression: It is Valentine’s Day, and much like my colleague,@@checked@@ I couldn’t care less.@@i bet his girlfriend loves to hear that@@ However, I come from the opposite spectrum of the relationship statuses. After a certain length of time has passed (don’t ask me how much because I simply do not know) in a relationship, I start to view Valentine’s Day as just another day.@@i’ll let him speak for himself here@@

In reality, I only have to remember two dates to be “romantic,” and I even have a difficult time remembering one of those days until a week or so before it occurs. (Anniversaries are also overrated, but I’ll save that for another time.)@@doomed!@@

Regardless of where you find yourself today, and if you go all out or do nothing: It’s just another day. Have fun.

Now, on to the usual fare.

Last term, I wrote on the big hoopla over the Department of Public Safety getting guns, and how both sides have refused to be honest and come to a civil, understanding and reasonable approach to dialogue. In the four and a half months since, nothing has changed.

Instead, the anti-arm DPS group has continued to yell doom and gloom, and DPS carries out its business without informing the University population at large.

At this rate, DPS will get its guns, and everybody but them will be pissed off about it. Me? I’m just glad that ASUO Vice President Katie Taylor was able to convey how unprofessional and morally suspect it is to operate without transparency. I’m sure the lesson isn’t lost on her.@@daaaaaaaamn@@

Moving on.

Central Lane and Linn County Rep. Phil Barnhart’s@@http://www.leg.state.or.us/barnhart/@@ bill establishing a local governing board for the University has died a quick death. According to Interim President Robert Berdahl, the current session is “too short” for such legislation to be considered.

I still see an autonomous governing board as critical and more likely than not but am wary of letting political elites@@er, people who are elected?@@ dictate how it will come about. I also stressed how important it is for students to be involved in the process. That said, I’m pleased that both members from Students for Higher Education Excellence Now@@http://oregonsheen.org/@@ and Oregon Student Association, whilst on different sides of the issue, are engaging with lawmakers on an issue that could potentially change the University in significant ways.

Naturally I’m more likely to agree with SHEEN and HB 4061,@@http://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/2012/HB4061/@@ which will create a committee that will give Oregon’s public institutions the opportunity to establish governing boards. After the fiasco that was former University President Richard Lariviere’s firing, it’s clear that something needs to be changed with regards to governance.

Speaking of legislation that suffered an unceremonious death: SB 1550,@@http://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/2012/SB1550/@@ a bill that would’ve made the University safe for rapists, thieves and killers by preventing law-abiding citizens with concealed-carry permits to carry on school property was shut down by Sen. Floyd Prozanski.@@http://www.leg.state.or.us/prozanski/@@ The bill was killed before any testimony, which makes it somewhat humorous that Ceasefire Oregon@@http://www.ceasefireoregon.org/@@ then proceeded to provide testimony in favor of an already-dead bill.

Such testimony included the usual catastrophic consequences of “drunken, high and suicidal” college students allowed to pack heat on campus. Which is interesting, considering that — off campus — there aren’t any high, drunk or suicidal students shooting others or themselves.

I guess campus just brings out the worst in people.

Finally, last week I wrote on Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group and their growing budget and incompetence. I spoke of how the student body has been rewarded with little in return for such a large investment they make (read: forced) into OSPIRG.

Well, in timing that can only be describing as perfect, OSPIRG unveiled their campaign to end plastic bag use by way of a giant, polyester inflatable turtle. A turtle that was created using petroleum, the same substance that is used for plastic bags and anything plastic you own.

Despite the irony, I ask again: What tangible @@what do you mean by tangible?@@result is this campaign yielding? And is it a campaign I want to fund in the first place?

I’ll put away the rhetorical questions for a moment to address why such silly campaigns continue to be funded by student dollars: because we allow them to.

Simple, isn’t it? As I referenced in my article last week, OSPIRG is pretty good at accomplishing one (if only one) thing: getting themselves funded.

From the reception the column gained, I can see that I’m far from the only one interested in seeing OSPIRG defunded.

So if you really wish to see OSPIRG go the way of the dinosaur, organization is key.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from politics, it is that sometimes it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong, only who is the loudest.

It’s been one hell of a term already, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Also if you haven’t liked the “University of Oregon Memes” page on Facebook yet, then you shouldn’t — lest you be permanently distracted from the rest of your obligations.@@Kenny, you may want to take out this last sentence, since you wouldn’t allow our hilarious tip in today’s paper@@