The University will retain its licensing agreement with garment manufacturer Russell Athletic despite claims from monitoring organizations that the company closed a factory in Honduras to stifle a labor union, University President Dave Frohnmayer wrote Tuesday.
Frohnmayer announced his decision to keep the license in a letter to student activists with Step Up, Oregon! who pushed for the end to the license.
The claims against Russell have led 64 schools to cancel licenses with the company, which produces sweaters bearing the University logo. The Duck Store has stopped buying Russell products and Eugene Congressman Peter DeFazio and 64 other members of Congress have signed a letter expressing concern with the company.
However, Frohnmayer said he cannot cancel the agreement or let the license expire because of an Oregon University System policy that prevents Oregon public institutions from ending business agreements for reasons other than “the ability to perform, evidence of illegal activities or other criteria required or allowed by statute or Board Rule.”
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