The O Blog

 

The O Blog

May 22, 2013
Smoke report in Health Center resolved

A report of smoke Wednesday afternoon, May 22, in the University Health Center, was determined to be a malfunctioning space heater, university spokesperson Phil Weiler said.

The problem was resolved and personnel that had been evacuated were returning.

The University Health Center provides a wide variety of medical and health care services for currently enrolled University of Oregon students who have been assessed the university health fee. The mission of the center is to prevent, modify and remove health-related barriers to students’ academic success and personal development.

May 22, 2013
Open letter from UO deans: a positive, respectful and inclusive debate on university's future

Dear Colleagues:
 
This is an open letter from the Deans to the UO community regarding this historic moment for our university. Legislation aimed at creating a public governing board for the University of Oregon continues to move forward in Salem, and we see this development as the most promising way to address the challenge of shrinking state support for our mission and our institution.  Simultaneously we are engaged in creating an historic collective bargaining agreement between the University and a new faculty union, one that will establish guidelines for labor practices for years to come.  With this letter we are reaching out to the entire university community to call for a positive, respectful and inclusive debate about the UO’s future.

We believe that a fully informed and constructive dialogue will best serve the future of our institution. We want you to know that we collectively see great potential in the UO's advance toward institutional governance and toward a fair collective bargaining agreement, and have high hopes for the future under the leadership of President Michael Gottfredson.

The legislative process that will determine the future of our governance is at a delicate and critical stage. Establishing a public governing board solely dedicated to the UO, with the ability to generate much-needed investments from outside sources is critical to the future success of the university.
 
Key legislation now being considered in Salem – SB 270 – is fully congruent with the UO’s commitment to shared governance, as President Gottfredson has affirmed on a number of occasions. On Monday, the President posted a statement on his website elaborating how his commitment to shared governance will be sustained and honored going forward under a public institutional board. We urge all members of the campus community to review these comments at http://president.uoregon.edu/content/president-gottfredson%E2%80%99s-comments-shared-governance.
 
The university’s collective commitment to shared governance is exemplified by recent actions. Many members of the Provost’s search committee were nominated by the Senate, members of the elected Senate Budget Committee were key participants in this year’s budget setting process, and the President meets regularly with the elected Faculty Advisory Committee and the elected Undergraduate and Graduate Councils exercise control over development of new curricular proposals.
 
As Deans, we strongly support the tradition of shared governance at the University of Oregon and acknowledge its vital role in promoting academic excellence.  As we move forward we do not think it should be narrowly redefined solely within the context of a collective bargaining agreement. As other institutions of higher learning with faculty and staff unions demonstrate, the commitment of Deans and faculty to shared governance cannot and should not be limited to labor contracts between a union and the university.  We know all faculty at the UO (both represented and non-represented) share a commitment to academic excellence.  Our mission requires that we continue to work together collaboratively to promote the highest possible quality of teaching, learning and research at the University of Oregon.
 
We are engaged in a major effort to attract and retain the very best faculty and we see the quality of the public discourse among the entire UO community as a key factor in attaining this goal.  In addition, as we prepare to launch a major capital campaign, we hope to engage potential donors and supporters in a positive, constructive and respectful dialogue about the future of the University of Oregon.  We need your help in this endeavor because it is truly a shared vision that depends on our collective efforts.
 
The bottom line: We urge the UO community to come together so that we can build one of the strongest and most creative research universities in the nation. We trust that you will join President Gottfredson and us in promoting this noble and exciting endeavor by working together as we move forward.  We value your commitment to excellence and believe that the future of the university is dependent on the strength of the entire UO community.
 
 
 
Frances Bronet, Dean
School of Architecture & Allied Arts
 
Michael Bullis, Dean
Sommerville-Knight Professor
College of Education
 
Deborah Carver
Philip H. Knight Dean of Libraries
 
Scott Coltrane
Tykeson Dean of Arts & Sciences
College of Arts & Sciences
 
Kimberly Andrews Espy, Dean
Graduate School
Vice President for Research & Innovation
Brad Foley, Dean
School of Music & Dance
 
David Frank, Dean
Robert D. Clark Honors College
 
Tim Gleason
Edwin L. Artzt Dean & Professor
School of Journalism & Communication
 
Cornelis A “Kees” de Kluyver, Dean
Rippey Distinguished Professor
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business
 
Michael Moffitt
Philip H. Knight Dean
School of Law

May 21, 2013
False alarm for fire at Lillis Business Complex

A report of a fire at the Lillis Business Complex Tuesday afternoon, May 21, drew firefighters and police officers but was determined to be inaccurate, the University of Oregon said.

University police officers and the Eugene Fire Department responded but there was no indication of a fire, university spokesperson Phil Weiler said.

The complex includes Lillis Hall, which opened in 2003, and Peterson Hall, Anstett Hall and the Chiles Center. The complex is one of the ‘greenest’ business school facilities in the United States.

May 16, 2013
Historical money coming UO's way

A bill recently passed by the Oregon Legislature and awaiting the signature of Gov. John Kitzhaber will make money available to the University of Oregon and Oregon State University that was originally set aside for the two institutions more than 150 years ago.

Under House Bill 2033, the State Treasury will turn over to the Oregon University System $109,877 from funding earmarked for UO purposes in 1859, and another $326,543 from a fund designated for OSU in 1862.

Both pots of federal money were originally held by the Department of State Lands, to be loaned back to the universities for specific purposes. No money from the funds has been used in at least the past 20 years.

The new legislation will transfer all of the money to OUS. UO and OSU have indicated that the funds will be used for scholarships.

Congress originally sent the money to UO and OSU at a time federal lawmakers were trying to establish a network of public universities across the country. The UO money came from the sale of state land, specified in the 1859Act of Admission that made Oregon a state, for the establishment of a public university. The OSU money was a result of the Morrill Act of 1862, which established U.S. land grant institutions.

The UO and most other public research universities in the U.S. can trace their roots to a national commitment embodied in the creation of the country's land grant institutions.

The UO's creation was a condition the Oregon act of admission, which required the new state to sell public land to help launch the university.

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