University Housing needs regime change
The recent neighborhood forum in the West University Neighborhood was closed for public input. As a renters’ rights and historic preservation activist, I have compiled many facts on East Eugene housing injustice and deficiencies in the last few years. The chairperson of the meeting forcefully excluded me from the discussion.
The chairperson also happens to work as a spokesperson for the University on its housing department demolition issues. A real meeting meant to solve problems can’t be managed by parties interested in obstructing reform and taking neighborhoods apart.
If our state school can’t run its 100 homes decently, what can it expect from out-of-town property owners? Keeping East Campus Family Housing empty and shabby lowers the bar for all landlords. University planners are now incorporating in their East Campus plans language that protects the University’s practice of letting the homes fall apart — or an “un-housing code.”
Find a copy of City Councilor David Kelly’s re-election brochure and you’ll notice he supports a housing code for “privately-held” properties. I guess if you live in University housing, laws don’t apply to you, at least in Kelly’s world.

Zachary Vishanoff

Eugene

Mandrake cheapens University’s image
It is time for students and the administration to realize that things have gone far enough with Mandrake, “Mighty Morphin Power Duck.” Now, there is nothing better than seeing the Ducks smash Stanford by 15 in McArthur Court. However, when I viewed ESPN’s “Top 10 Plays of the Day,” I lost all thoughts about our win, and was furious with our new mascot. To those who didn’t attend the Feb. 6 game or see it on TV, Mandrake, our new “athletic” Duck, decided to do a trampoline flip dunk.
However, I guess Mandrake is just too athletic for Eugene, as he over-accentuated the flip, hit his beak on the rim, and totally bricked the dunk. In a day where Shaq broke a backboard, Kobe scored 46, and even our beloved Ridnour scored 23 off the bench, Mandrake stole the show, and the No. 8 play of the day, with an absolute comedic flop.
Now accidents happen, but when is the last time you saw Donald make a complete fool of himself? Mandrake wasn’t designed to be a comedic reference, unlike Stanford’s representation of a tree on drugs. Mandrake is out to prove athletic superiority, which he botched when he ate one of our metal rims.
The fact is, the time has come for the University to realize the harsh reality of Mandrake: no self-respecting Duck fan likes him, he doesn’t stack up to Donald in any way, and he makes a fool out of the University from a national perspective.

Charlie Wheary

junior

political science