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 5
Police search for vandals of UO sign
The Register-Guard: University of Oregon police are trying to track down whoever wrote obscene graffiti on the new main UO entry sign on Franklin Boulevard late Monday or early Tuesday. The UO will press criminal charges and seek damages if it finds those responsible, UO police spokesman Kelly McIver said. If the culprits are UO students, they might also be punished under the student code of conduct, he said. Part of the graffiti states “Phi Kai Phi” and “King Beta,” possibly references to one or more fraternities. Student leaders with the UO chapter of Beta Rho issued a statement saying they neither condone nor encourage such defacement. Catching graffiti culprits can be tricky, McIver said, especially “if this is a one-time thing and doesn’t repeat itself.” However, sometimes informants with leads step forward, he said. He urged anyone with information to call 541-346-2919. The sign was installed earlier this year to replace a smaller, less visible UO sign at a different spot on Franklin.
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Late mentions for December 4
UO sign facing Franklin Boulevard vandalized
The Daily Emerald: Early this morning, graffiti was reported on both sides of the large University of Oregon sign on the corner of Agate Street and Franklin Boulevard by the Jaqua Center. The University of Oregon Police Department is conducting an ongoing investigation of today’s incident. Spokesman Kelly McIver speculates that the graffiti was probably created sometime late Monday night or very early this morning. McIver believes this is not an indication of an upward trend in graffiti on campus. “I don’t think it’s part of an extreme escalation,” McIver said. The words on the other side were largely illegible except for “friendship and fidelity,” according McIver. UPDATE: The Beta Theta Pi fraternity released the following statement this evening: “The Beta Theta Pi, Beta Rho chapter of The University of Oregon is fully aware of the recent acts of vandalism that have occurred on campus and doesn’t condone or encourage any of the defacing acts. Beta Rho and its members have nothing but respect for the University of Oregon and would never do anything to disrespect that relationship.”
UO, OSU pitch business accelerator
Albany Democrat-Herald: Looking to rev up the pace of startup companies coming out of research at Oregon State University and the University of Oregon, area business and academic leaders are seeking support for the idea of a South Willamette Valley Technology Business Accelerator ... By providing a robust support structure for spinout ventures, OSU and UO could help more startups succeed and boost the region’s economy ... Patrick Jones, the associate vice president for research finance and business administration at UO, said his university was ready to provide similar help.
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Late mentions for December 3
UO biologist elected fellow of world’s largest scientific society
The Daily Emerald: The University of Oregon’s head biologist Bruce Bowerman has joined a distinguished line of scientists stretching back to 1874 with his election to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The UO biologist was one of 702 scientists elected as a fellow for the AAAS, the world’s largest scientific society, the UO reported Nov. 29. Bowerman, who has been a biology professor at the UO since 1992, in addition to serving as the department head, was elected to the board by his peers for his pioneering contributions in roundworm developmental genetics. Bowerman has also served three years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as well as working as the director for the Institute of Molecular Biology from 2005 to 2011.