UO E-Clips is a daily report prepared by the Office of Communications (http://comm.uoregon.edu) summarizing current news coverage of the University of Oregon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media mentions for December 1

1. Study Explores Distrust Of Atheists By Believers

Huffington Post: Distrust is the central motivating factor behind why religious people dislike atheists, according to a new study led by University of British Columbia psychologists.  “Where there are religious majorities -– that is, in most of the world –- atheists are among the least trusted people,” says lead author Will Gervais, a doctoral student in UBC’s Dept. of Psychology. “With more than half a billion atheists worldwide, this prejudice has the potential to affect a substantial number of people.”

2. UO Faculty Express Anger At Higher Ed Board

Oregon Public Broadcasting: The University of Oregon Statutory Faculty formally condemned the State Board of Higher Education Wednesday for firing President Richard Lariviere. The statutory faculty consists of tenured and non-tenured professors. Students, staff and members of the public also attended the special meeting. About 1,000 people attended the meeting at the U of O's "Mac Court."

3. UO faculty assembly cheers fired president

Victoria Advocate: About 1,000 University of Oregon teachers, staff members and students cheered fired president Richard Lariviere Wednesday at a faculty assembly. The meeting opened with a standing ovation for Lariviere, whose voice cracked as he said thanks. The Higher Education Board dismissed him last week, effective Dec. 28, saying he hadn't been a team player and had flouted the board's policies by pushing for greater independence for the school and not minding Gov. John Kitzhaber's call for payroll restraint.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media mentions for December 1

Study Explores Distrust Of Atheists By Believers

Distrust is the central motivating factor behind why religious people dislike atheists, according to a new study led by University of British Columbia psychologists.

“Where there are religious majorities -– that is, in most of the world –- atheists are among the least trusted people,” says lead author Will Gervais, a doctoral student in UBC’s Dept. of Psychology. “With more than half a billion atheists worldwide, this prejudice has the potential to affect a substantial number of people.”

While reasons behind antagonism toward atheists have not been fully explored, the study –- published in the current online issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology -– is among the first explorations of the social psychological processes underlying anti-atheist sentiments.

“This antipathy is striking, as atheists are not a coherent, visible or powerful social group,” says Gervais, who co-authored the study with UBC Associate Prof. Ara Norenzayan and Azim Shariff of the University of Oregon. The study is titled, "Do You Believe in Atheists? Distrust is Central to Anti-Atheist Prejudice."

The researchers conducted a series of six studies with 350 American adults and nearly 420 university students in Canada, posing a number of hypothetical questions and scenarios to the groups. In one study, participants found a description of an untrustworthy person to be more representative of atheists than of Christians, Muslims, gay men, feminists or Jewish people. Only rapists were distrusted to a comparable degree.

The researchers concluded that religious believer’s distrust –- rather than dislike or disgust –- was the central motivator of prejudice against atheists, adding that these studies offer important clues on how to combat this prejudice.

One motivation for the research was a Gallup poll that found that only 45 percent of American respondents would vote for a qualified atheist president, says Norenzayan. The figure was the lowest among several hypothetical minority candidates. Poll respondents rated atheists as the group that least agrees with their vision of America, and that they would most disapprove of their children marrying.

The religious behaviors of others may provide believers with important social cues, the researchers say. “Outward displays of belief in God may be viewed as a proxy for trustworthiness, particularly by religious believers who think that people behave better if they feel that God is watching them,” says Norenzayan. “While atheists may see their disbelief as a private matter on a metaphysical issue, believers may consider atheists’ absence of belief as a public threat to cooperation and honesty.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UO Faculty Express Anger At Higher Ed Board

The University of Oregon Statutory Faculty formally condemned the State Board of Higher Education Wednesday for firing President Richard Lariviere. The statutory faculty consists of tenured and non-tenured professors. Students, staff and members of the public also attended the special meeting.

About 1,000 people attended the meeting at the U of O's "Mac Court."

During a question and answer period lasting more than an hour, faculty and students expressed their frustration and anger to University System Chancellor George Pernsteiner and State Higher Education Board member Lynda Ciuffetti. The Board Monday fired President Lariviere, citing personnel issues. Robert Melnick is a professor and former dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts.

"Like others throughout the U of O Community, and I mean the international community, I have been sickened and stabbed in the back by your actions. You have sent the message that innovation, creativity and excellence in higher education are really not welcome in the state of Oregon," Melnick said.

At the close of the meeting, the statutory faculty passed a motion to condemn the board for firing President Lariviere, they also approved a motion to establish an independent board for the U of O. Those motions become part of the public record.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UO faculty assembly cheers fired president

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - About 1,000 University of Oregon teachers, staff members and students cheered fired president Richard Lariviere Wednesday at a faculty assembly.

The meeting opened with a standing ovation for Lariviere, whose voice cracked as he said thanks.

The Higher Education Board dismissed him last week, effective Dec. 28, saying he hadn't been a team player and had flouted the board's policies by pushing for greater independence for the school and not minding Gov. John Kitzhaber's call for payroll restraint.

"You will always be our president in our minds and in our hearts," said Robert Kyr, president of the University of Oregon Senate.

The body passed resolutions in support of Lariviere's stands and criticized higher education officials, The Eugene Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/v2ukJC ) reported. Chancellor George Pernsteiner and board member Lynda Ciuffetti were at the meeting and answered questions.

Robert Melnick, a professor and former dean of the UO's School of Architecture and Allied Arts, told them he felt "sickened and stabbed in the back."

"Richard Lariviere had vision. And you threw him in the street," Melnick said. "After 30 years, I want to know: 'What vision will you bring?' I'm tired of waiting."

Ciuffetti said the decision wasn't made lightly and if members of the crowd were in a situation where a subordinate repeatedly disobeyed them, "I don't think many of you would keep that person around."

Pernsteiner acknowledged he had not been involved enough with the university community and pledged to have "many conversations with many people in this room, as we move forward."

Michael Fakhri, an assistant law professor, said any dialogue "will be smoke and mirrors" until the board proves its willingness to listen to the faculty by following some of its recommendations.

University records show that many of the faculty members who have been vocal supporters of Lariviere got the one-time salary equity raises that played a role in his dismissal.

Kyr, who is one of them, said the faculty's support had nothing to do with those pay bumps.

"I can tell you for a fact that, that's not the case," he said, arguing that the university generated the money for the raises through tuition and enrollment increases and private funds, not taxpayer money.

Lariviere said the raises would keep the university competitive nationally. Kitzhaber and the board said they exceeded the limits the governor imposed at a time of budget cutting in the state.

A Register-Guard analysis showed the raises in May went to more than 1,100 faculty members and administrators and were as high as 30 percent, at a cost of nearly $5 million.