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 October 9
GUEST VIEWPOINT: UO works on lowering higher education costs
The Register-Guard: The rising cost of higher education is causing some to wonder if the dream of a college degree is still realistic. Reductions in state and federal support for our students’ education have squeezed students and institutions alike. At the University of Oregon, we recognize this problem. And we are working to confront the issue of college affordability head-on ... During the UO’s last fundraising capital campaign, we raised nearly $100 million in private gifts for scholarships. We need to raise more, and we will ... While scholarships play an important role in defraying college expenses for many students, they are not enough. We also must focus on the actual cost of educating our students.
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Late mentions for October 8
Indigenous Solidarity Day celebrated in place of Columbus Day at UO amphitheater
The Daily Emerald: Many offices, businesses and classrooms are closed to observe Columbus day, a federal holiday started to celebrate Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. At the University of Oregon, however, many students and faculty observe a different holiday: Indigenous Solidarity Day Reclaiming the History of Those Forced to Be Forgotten, often abbreviated to Anti-Columbus Day. A sizable demonstration gathered at the EMU amphitheater Monday afternoon with a mission to “set the record straight on Columbus,” as sociology professor Chuck Hunt put it. For the demonstrators, celebrating Christopher Columbus’ arrival and subsequent colonization of much of the Americas is at least a tacit approval of colonization and the genocide of many indigenous groups.
Sexual Violence Prevention task force created by ASUO Executive
The Daily Emerald: Sexual violence, both reported and unreported, has become a large and important issue on the University of Oregon campus. In response to increasing incidents, the ASUO Executive created a Sexual Violence Prevention task force to try to prevent incidents from happening. “We feel it is our responsibility to protect our students and support the University in their prevention efforts,” ASUO President Laura Hinman said in a news release. The task force, which will be made up of nine committee members, will gather information from community members, people with critical viewpoints and look across the country for areas with the best education, prevention and support services. The task force’s job will be to report back at the end of the year with a written report that will make recommendations for how the University should respond.
Author speaks about the need for reform of the U.S. education system
The Northerner: Yong Zhao, presidential chair and associate dean for global education in the College of Education at the University of Oregon and author of 20 books and over 100 articles, gave a speech stating reasons he believes the U.S. education system has failed, and ways China has surpassed the U.S. in education ... “The national goal of the United States’ education system should be to keep your kids out of your basement after college,” Zhao said ... Zhao said the U.S. education system is like a “sausage maker,” meaning the education model stifles creativity and entrepreneurialism. Zhao went on to say the major role of the education system in this country throughout history has been to “create factory workers for Henry Ford.”