A wise man once said variety is the spice of life. What he may have meant was trying new things keeps life interesting. In following, the University hosts several opportunities for students to get involved with different groups, clubs and activities.
For students with a taste for political debate, the University College Republicans, the University College Democrats, Campus Greens and Generation Dean all have groups on campus.
Members of the College Republicans tout themselves as the conservative voice on the University campus, and their Web site said their purpose “has always been to help facilitate conservative students’ needs in exploring the Republican Party, as well as acting as a campus outlet for the state and national Republican Parties.” The group has existed at the University for the last 50 years and currently has an office on the ground floor of the EMU.
The College Democrats, located in Suite Four of the EMU, operates as a venue through which University students can gain experience in “campus, local, state or national politics through voter education, voter registration, voter turn-out effort” and other aspects associated with the Democratic Party, according to the group’s Web site.
Students with political persuasions off the beaten path may want to check out some of the groups housed in the Survival Center located in Suite One of the EMU.
“Inside the Survival Center you can find a wide variety of organizations, from animal rights to environmental groups, human rights and independent media,” Survival Center co-Director Marshall Kirkpatrick said.
The Survival Center is also a good source for valuable information on issues pertaining to social justice and environmentalism, according to its Web site. This fall the Survival Center is working with the Multi-Cultural Center on a weekly film series.
One of the most visible groups in the Survival Center is OSPIRG. The group focuses on student activism and public interest issues. This year OSPIRG members at the University will be focusing on the Willamette Campaign to clean up the Willamette River, a renter’s rights hotline and programs to assist the hungry and homeless populations of Eugene. The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group will hold a general interest meeting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 in the EMU Ben Linder room.
Across the hall from the Survival Center in Suite Three of the EMU is the University Women’s Center. The Women’s Center is dedicated to providing “information, support, and services to facilitate education around issues of feminism, women and gender” on the University campus, according to its Web site. The Women’s Center is involved with several campus events throughout the school year, including the Venus Festival, Sexual Assault Awareness Week and Take Back the Night.
For students more interested in entertainment than politics, the University Cultural Forum, located on the ground floor of the EMU, is “a campus organization on the pulse of student life and interest.”
The organization is student-run, separate from the ASUO and is in charge of bringing cultural, social and educational events that reflect the diverse University student body on campus. The Cultural Forum is always looking for volunteers and staff to help with scheduling and events.