December 11, 2000
The University of Oregon released a detailed plan Dec. 1 for a Central Oregon campus that will break new ground in higher education.
"Our vision is to build, in cooperation with Central Oregon Community College (COCC), an opportunity for a full college education in Central Oregon that matches the best of the small colleges and universities in the nation," says Provost John Moseley, vice president for academic affairs, who oversaw the UO's months-long effort to gauge and answer Central Oregon's educational needs.
The UO's plan--bolstered by pledges of $2.65 million in private support to supplement state government funds--offers Central Oregon students a comprehensive university experience founded on a solid science, social science and humanities core and enhanced by key professional and graduate offerings. These educational offerings will be backed with the strengths of a major research university, but offered in an attractive small-college setting.
"We did not want to establish a typical `branch campus' that offers a watered-down version of a big campus, so we took an entirely new approach designed to answer the area's unique educational needs," says Moseley. "The fact is that narrow technical skills can become obsolete almost overnight and today's reality is that employers want people who can think quickly, analyze critically, communicate well and work effectively in groups. The answer the UO provides to that challenge is a solid liberal arts education."
Moseley's assessment is backed by comments from local citizens, national observers, the Oregon governor's office and the Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board, which noted in its Plan for Higher Education "...studies consistently indicate that there is continuing perceived need for 'Arts and Sciences' or 'Liberal Arts' education in Central Oregon."
In addition to essential degrees in the sciences, the social sciences and the humanities, the UO's plan offers Central Oregon:
A summary as well as the full text of the comprehensive UO plan are available on the web at comm.uoregon.edu/Bend/.
OUS officials are considering the university's proposal as well as one submitted by Oregon State University. The Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board will meet Dec. 14 to discuss the two branch campus plans. A recommendation on the proposals is expected to come before the State Board of Higher Education in February.
Gov. John Kitzhaber's proposed state budget, released Dec. 1, contains less for higher education than officials hoped for.
"We will not dilute the quality of education on our campus," says UO President Dave Frohnmayer. "But the governor's proposed budget for public higher education is certainly going to make that a challenge."
However, the governor's proposal is just that--a suggested budget that will go through months of legislative review and adjustment before becoming final.
During that time, higher education advocates will be able to make clear their needs, and to move the budget numbers in a positive direction.
"It is important that we get a budget that will allow us to continue to build quality, boost faculty salaries and keep tuition as low as possible," says Frohnmayer. "That is going to be our No. 1 legislative goal in this session."
Business Affairs is reviewing all aspects of the way travel is managed and wants to hear from travelers as well as from those who administer the system.
"Our goal is to improve the quality and level of service that is provided to the campus," says Sherri McDowell, Business Affairs director. "Your input and assistance is crucial to our success in meeting this goal, and we want to thank you in advance for your participation."
In examining policies, practices, controls and processes, McDowell says the travel review team "would like to hear from you about travel issues that are of concern to you." To get things started, many departmental travel administrators participated in six focus groups, facilitated by Margo Helphand, during mid-November.
Send comments by e-mail to travel@baomail, submit anonymous comments through Campus Mail addressed to the Business Office Travel Team, or fill out a questionnaire on the Travel Team website at baowww.uoregon.edu/travelweb/default.htm.
All comments the review team receives will be summarized on the website.
"The team, coordinated by Nancy Cameron, will review the summary of comments and explore alternative approaches and solutions," McDowell says. "Then we will report our findings, develop a draft action plan, and seek additional campus input."
She says the team, whose members include Krista Kennard, Rich Irish, Paul Jasheway and Carolyn Wooley, hopes to complete its review by the end of spring term.
For information, call Kennard, 6-3120; Irish, 6-3524; Jasheway, 6-0814; or Wooley, 6-3158.
The 2000 Charitable Fund Drive is nearly over. That prompts CFD coordinator Nancie Fadeley, Provost's Office, to remind UO employees that "the time to turn in CFD pledge forms is now.
"UO employees' giving this year is running well ahead of last year," she says, noting this gives her reason to believe that the university's generosity will truly be impressive when final giving totals are announced this month.
According to Fadeley, the pledge form still in one's to-do stack offers satisfying opportunities to "make our dollars do what we can not do."
For example, she notes that even though many wish they could do something about Fanconi anemia, few have the expertise. But that doesn't mean they can't help. CFD contributions to Community Health Charities of Oregon support frontline researchers who are looking for a cure.
When they first heard about the Thurston tragedy, many wanted to help, but didn't know how. A number of United Way programs were able to respond immediately, a reminder of the importance of disaster services at a time when help can't wait, and of the continuing need for counseling and support for those impacted by such events.
A memorable day hiking in Opal Creek can make one grateful that the Friends of Opal Creek, which is part of the Environmental Federation of Oregon, is able to encourage stewardship of that special place.
For those with other priorities, it may seem more important to support programs like Birth to Three (Children's Trust Fund of Oregon), the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (Black United Fund of Oregon), or Oregon Youth Suicide Prevention Conference (Equity Foundation).
According to Fadeley, all this and more is possible, but she is quick to note that it is only possible for those who turn in their CFD pledge forms.
"Even adding just one more pledge form from each campus office could really put us `over the top,' " she notes.
Replacements for lost or misplaced CFD pledge forms are available from department CFD coordinators and from Fadeley, 6-3013.
The University of Oregon opened a new center Nov. 28 honoring Oregon's late Sen. Wayne Morse that is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge surrounding critical issues facing society.
The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics is an independent center at the UO dedicated to interdisciplinary research, discussion, publication and teaching on critical topics in the fields of law and politics.
The center expands upon the Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics that was established in 1981 as a living memorial to Oregon's late U.S. senator and former dean of Law. The Morse Chair brings distinguished scholars and social activists to the UO who are selected "on the basis of qualities and achievements exemplified in the life of Wayne L. Morse: courage, integrity, independence, teaching ability, statesmanship, scholarship, and contributions to the enhancement of law, representative government and world peace."
"The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics will build upon this legacy with a greater number of opportunities for attracting visiting scholars and public figures, conducting scholarly research and providing compelling curriculum for our students," says center director Margaret Hallock. "We see the center as providing the campus and broader community with opportunities to explore important issues that face society today."
In addition to programs, the center also is awarding student scholarships. This year, three law students received $10,000 grants, awarded on the basis of scholastic merit and a demonstrated interest in public service in the tradition of Sen. Morse.
The center is located at the Knight Law Center. The UO established the center following a gift from the late Elmer Conklin, a retired court reporter who met Morse in 1938 when he was arbitrating a labor grievance. The two developed a close friendship that lasted until Morse's death in 1974.
Planned center activities include:
The 1999-2000 Morse Chair hosted a full set of activities around its theme "The Rich, the Poor and American Politics," and Frances Fox Piven, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Political Science at the City University of New York Graduate School, was the occupant of the chair. Activities included lectures, seven courses in political science and anthropology, a film series, a public radio-civic journalism project and a major two-day conference on "Work, Welfare and Politics" that was cosponsored by the UO's Center for the Study of Women in Society and the Labor Education and Research Center.
In 2000-2001, the Morse Center will explore the theme of "Labor in a Global Economy" and will host two Morse chair holders, William Gould and Dana Frank.
Gould, a Stanford University law professor and former chair of the National Labor Relations Board, will visit Law Feb. 28-March 2, 2001. His public lecture will focus on international labor standards and labor law for a global economy.
Frank, professor of American studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will be a visiting professor at History during spring quarter. In conjunction with her visit, the center has commissioned six projects, including two new classes, research, a special exhibit of the Morse Collection at the Knight Library, and a forum on labor history.
In 2000-2003, the Morse Center also will sponsor a series of events and speakers relating to the theme of "Race, Class and the Criminal Justice System." The first of these, a panel program entitled "No Way Out? A Forum on Mandatory Minimum Sentencing," was held in October.
Oregon's public universities enrolled a record number of students fall term.
The official fourth-week headcount showed total enrollment for the seven public campuses of the Oregon University System standing at 69,508. That's 2,160 students more than a year ago and exceeds the previous record set in fall 1980.
The UO, with 17,843 students, reported the largest increase in first-time resident freshman (up 14.4 percent) and first-time freshman total enrollment (up 13.6 percent).
The President's Office is happy to announce that a new meeting space for the campus is now open.
The Lewis Presidential Lounge, on the fourth floor of the Knight Law Center, will function much like Gerlinger Alumni Lounge but for smaller groups.
Generous donations by three couples--Bob and Beverly Lewis of Eugene, Gary and Anne Marie Galton of Lake Oswego, and Tom and Bonnie Costabile of Springfield--paid for the new lounge.
The lounge can seat 14-20 people at its table and has standing room for an additional 40-50 people. It will be available for departmental meetings, alumni and donor events, small dinners, receptions and other academic and administrative meetings.
For a tour of the room and for scheduling information, call Kathy Wagner, 6-3037.
FAMILY MEMBER STAFF TUITION RATE FORMS should be submitted to Human Resources as soon as the family member has registered for classes but in any case no later than the first day of Winter Term classes, Monday, Jan. 8, 2001. Introduced in August, the new benefit program offers substantial tuition savings to eligible family members of UO employees. Employees must complete a Staff Fee Privileges Approval Form for Family Members each term and submit it to Leona Neef at Human Resources, 463 Oregon. The form and important information about the UO staff rates for tuition for family members program can be found at hr.uoregon.edu/benefits/staffratecontents.html or call 6-2954.
THE OREGON COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN, an investment program created by the 1999 Oregon Legislature and administered by the State Treasurer, will begin accepting contributions on Jan. 2, 2001. One of the increasingly popular "Section 529" plans, the Oregon plan helps make saving for college easier and more flexible for parents and grandparents. It offers significant state and federal tax benefits and contribution options unavailable through other college savings tools. For plan details and other information, browse www.OregonCollegeSavings.com or call toll-free (866) 772-8464.
FRESHMAN SEMINAR PROPOSALS are due Jan. 19. Faculty members are invited to submit proposals and develop a syllabus for innovative courses designed to enhance the first-year experience of UO students. Proposal forms are available at darkwing.uoregon.edu/~learning/fs/index.htm. Awards will be made in early February after review by the Learning Communities Program. Submit completed forms to the Freshman Seminar Program, 372 Oregon, or fax them to 6-5811. For information, call Marilyn Linton, 6-1352, or Jessica Braendle, 6-1136.
NOMINATIONS FOR THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, one of the university's highest honors, are being accepted until Feb. 9. Up to three awards may be awarded in one year. Recipients are persons, "who by their knowledge and skills have made a significant contribution to the cultural development of Oregon or society as a whole." The awards will be presented at this year's June 16 Commencement ceremony. Send nominations to Dave Hubin in the President's Office. For information, call 6-3036.
APPLICATIONS FOR WHITE HOUSE FELLOWSHIPS ARE DUE FEB. 1. The year-long fellowships offer outstanding men and women a first-hand experience of government at the highest levels. For more information and applications, browse www.whitehousefellows.gov or write the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, 712 Jackson Place NW, Washington, DC 20503.
THE WILLIAMS COUNCIL HAS ISSUED A CALL FOR PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS for 2001-2002 programs that foster and recognize better teaching and learning. Created by President Dave Frohnmayer, the council administers the Tom and Carol Williams Fund for Undergraduate Education. This year, the council will not only consider instructional proposals as it has in recent years but also, for the first time, solicit nominations for Williams Fellowships. Individuals, groups or departments must submit instructional proposals by Feb. 5 that contain substantial academic content, emphasize student-involved learning and demonstrate the potential for broad application and benefit. Nominations for the new Williams Fellowship--$5,000 to each recipient and $5,000 to each recipient's department--also are due Feb. 5. Nominees must have demonstrated a commitment to undergraduate education through a history of challenging their students academically, creating an engaged learning environment in the classroom, striving to improve the learning process and fostering interdepartmental collaboration. Funded proposals and the first Williams Fellows will be announced May 15. Direct inquiries, applications and nominations to Dave Hubin, 6-3036, or send e-mail to hubin@oregon.
ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE 2000-2001 FACULTY/STAFF DIRECTORIES are now available for sale. The price is $5 for university affiliates and $10 for unaffiliated customers. They can be purchased by calling or e-mailing Dorothy Grover, 6-6704; dgrover@oregon.
AMERICAN RED CROSS CPR/FIRST AID CERTIFICATION CLASSES are offered each month for any interested UO employees. Environmental Health and Safety schedules the classes which usually meet during the week. Those who complete the course satisfactorily pay $5 for their certification card. For information or to enroll, call 6-3192.
Weston Morrill, University Counseling Center retired, received the Distinguished Senior Contributor Award from the Division of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association. The award, given every five years, honored his "significant contributions to the division and field of counseling psychology."
James Brau, Physics, has been elected a fellow of the American Physical Society. He was cited "for contributions to the development of particle detectors, particularly calorimeters and vertex detectors, and for studies of the properties of the Z boson with the SLD detector."
Joey Bargsten, visiting Art, is among 60 winners whose work has been selected for inclusion in the PRINT Interaction 2000 Digital Design Annual. Included in the collection of best new digital art and design for web and CD is his interactive CD-ROM, "Bad Mind Time."
Kim Mangun has joined Public Affairs and Development as assistant director for community outreach. In the newly refocused position, she will develop an annual community outreach program, coordinate the Explore Oregon program, organize area visits by the university president and manage the UO speakers' bureau. Formerly at the International Institute for Sport and Human Performance, she has nearly 20 years of experience in writing, editing and publishing. Currently, Mangun is pursuing a master's degree in Journalism and Communication.
Albert Leong, Russian and East European Studies, is the author of a paper, "Gulag and Laogai," published last spring in the proceedings of the first international conference on the Laogai, "Voices from the Laogai: Fifty Years of Surviving China's Forced Labor Camps," held in September 1999 at American University in Washington, D.C.
Robert Losey, Anthropology doctoral student, edited Changing Landscapes, Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Coquille Cultural Preservation Conference 1999 (Coquille Indian Tribe 2000). The anthology includes papers reporting research on the effects of earthquakes, riverine and coastal erosion, and dune-building on Oregon coast archaeological sites by Anthropology faculty Madonna Moss, Jon Erlandson and Guy Tasa and by Losey, Scott Byram, Mark Tveskov and George Wasson, all Anthropology graduate students.
Lisa Freinkel, English, is the author of Reading Shakespeare's Will: The Theology of Figure from Augustine to the Sonnets which has been accepted for publication by Columbia University Press.
Kenneth Calhoon, German and Comparative Literature, presented two papers, "Goethe and the Field of Vision" at Columbia University in November 1999 and "Leinwand, Irrlicht: Zur Erforschung der Flaeche in der Malerei und im Film" at the University of Jena in January.
Frank S. Okada, Art emeritus, died Oct. 30 in Eugene after recent surgery for cancer. A prominent Northwest painter whose work reflected his Japanese ancestry, Okada, 69, was a graduate of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. He retired in 1999 after 30 years on the UO faculty. Okada exhibited regularly in Seattle, and his work is included in the collections of the Seattle Art Museum, Microsoft Corp. and private collectors.
Robert H. Mattson, Education Leadership emeritus, died Nov. 1 in Eugene of cancer. A graduate of Montana State, Iowa and Oregon, Mattson, 74, joined the UO faculty in 1957 and retired in 1990 as an Education associate dean. Known for his work in special education, Mattson was instrumental in obtaining a federal grant that helped finance the Clinical Services building. He was appointed by presidents Reagan and Bush to the National Council for Educational Research. Memorial contributions may be made to Volunteers in Medicine.
Dominic A. LaRusso, Theater Arts emeritus, died Nov. 1 of a heart attack. A graduate of Washington and Northwestern, LaRusso, 76, joined the UO speech faculty in 1968 and chaired the rhetoric and communication program from 1975-78. Known as an inspiring teacher by his students, LaRusso was one of the first three recipients of the university's Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Awards for teaching excellence in 1986. He published poetry and several books, essays and articles, worked as a consultant and was a visiting professor at more than 20 institutions.