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 22

1. Lower tuition, get fired: Hats off to former OU President Richard Lariviere

Tucson Citizen via The Desert Lamp: When rising education costs make even instant noodles seem like a splurge, students might assume higher education leaders are trying every innovation to keep quality high and college expense low. But unconventional ideas aren't always rewarded: University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere was fired in late November for, in part, his ideas about how to slow tuition increases without sacrificing the quality of his university. In the UA's own search for a new president, the circumstances of Lariviere's firing offer and interesting study in how state higher education leadership treats innovation -- or, as they call it, insubordination.

2. Chemical explosion in bio lab burns UO faculty member

The Register-Guard: A University of Oregon faculty member sustained serious burns Wednesday when a chemical explosion occurred in a campus science building. The male faculty member, whose name was not released, was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield for treatment of burns to one arm, and some lacerations. University and police officials said the injuries were not life-threatening, though it was unclear how severe they were. According to the UO, the explosion was relatively small and reportedly confined to the work station where the faculty member was handling chemicals under an exhaust hood. The incident left broken glass scattered around the area and caused some minor charring but no substantial fire damage.

3. Economists split on impact of allowing tax cut to expire in January

The Hill's On The Money: Economists are divided on whether the expiration of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits on Jan. 1 would hurt the economy. The standoff between House Republicans and Senate Democrats on legislation that would extend both programs for two months has made it likely that the payroll tax rate will rise from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent in January. House Republicans argue the two-month extension of the tax cut would create uncertainty for business, while Democrats and President Obama say it is imperative to keep taxes from rising as the economy recovers. Democrats also say conservatives have never liked the payroll tax cut and are just using it as leverage for policy riders. ... Professor Mark Thoma of the University of Oregon said predicting exactly how earners would react is still the subject of academic debate, but now is not the time to test out the theories of economists.  "It is the wrong time to do anything that would potentially disrupt the recovery," Thoma said. "Letting both of those things expire could send the recovery in the wrong direction."

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Late mentions for December 21

1. Study Links Winning Football and Declining Grades

New York Times: When a college football team is successful, students put down their books and pick up some beers. At least, that is the case made by three University of Oregon economists whose study was released this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research. In examining the grade-point averages of the Oregon student body and the performance of the Ducks' football team, the researchers found a relationship between declining grades and success on the field. ... Male students were more likely than female students to increase their alcohol consumption and celebrating and decrease studying when a team fared well, resulting in lower grade-point averages, according to the study. Women also showed a decline in academic performance, though smaller than their male counterparts. For both sexes, the slack in studying and pop in partying was present only in fall quarters, aligning with the football season. "The gender gap widens as the football team succeeds," said Waddell, an associate professor.

2. Faculty Member Injured in Chemical Explosion at UO

KEZI: A chemical explosion at the University of Oregon sent one man to the hospital Wednesday afternoon. Fire and hazmat crews were called for a chemical explosion that came with "a moderate to high threat level". The explosion happened on the third floor of Huestis Hall at about 2:30 p.m. A university spokesperson says a faculty member was involved in the incident, but no information has been released yet on how the explosion happened. The building was evacuated within minutes. The faculty member suffered injuries to his arm, though specifics have not been released yet. "Despite the large response, we do believe that the issue was really contained to the third floor of Huestis Hall. There's no immediate threat to the broader campus community or to the Eugene-Springfield community either," said UO spokesperson Phil Weiler. The injured faculty member was taken to the hospital to be treated.

3. U of O invites fans to 'Duck My Ride' for the Rose Bowl

KPTV FOX 12: The University of Oregon wants fans heading to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl to deck out their cars in green and gold. The "Duck My Ride" promotion encourages fans to decorate their cars with Duck gear when they drive south - and the best "Duck-ed" out car will win some great prizes. "We can't wait to see California filled with creative Duck fans supporting our school," said Craig Pintens, UO senior associate athletic director. If you "Duck" your ride, you can upload photos online as well as view a live Twitter feed of participants. A grand-prize winner will be announced after the Rose Bowl, and will receive a plaque and a $150 gift card to the UO Duck Store. There will also be in-store promotions and prize giveaways at the Duck Store.

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Media mentions for December 22

Lower tuition, get fired: Hats off to former OU President Richard Lariviere

When rising education costs make even instant noodles seem like a splurge, students might assume higher education leaders are trying every innovation to keep quality high and college expense low. But unconventional ideas aren't always rewarded: University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere was fired in late November for, in part, his ideas about how to slow tuition increases without sacrificing the quality of his university. In the UA's own search for a new president, the circumstances of Lariviere's firing offer and interesting study in how state higher education leadership treats innovation -- or, as they call it, insubordination.

President Lariviere was unpopular with the Oregon State Board of Higher Education because of his attempts to shift the structure of higher education governance away from the state and towards his university. The Board, appointed by the state, considered Lariviere's policies a breach of trust and elected not to renew his contract. These leaders, who govern on behalf of the state, considered Lariviere's attempts to raise faculty compensation and other UO-based changes as a threat to the Oregon university system as a whole.

Like once was the case in Arizona, the University of Oregon is a significantly bettter-regarded academic institution than Oregon State University -- #101 to OSU's #138 in the latest US News and World Report rankings. Lariviere's goals were on behalf of his own university, not the system as a whole. Though his board did not favor these ideas, having diversity in a state college system -- diversity of academic rigorousness, of tuition cost, of size, etc -- might be a longer-sighted goal than the board is willing to realize. Not only does it give in-state students a better choice, it also allows for at least one high-level academic institution in a state. The Arizona Board of Regents has already significantly weakened its once-elite university by promoting the state system as a whole and choosing ASU-Everywhere over a more clear delineation between each university's mission.

Though his ideas cost Lariviere his job, decreasing dependence on state-based funding and policy oversight could also be a timely shift for colleges. When a university relies heavily on funding from its state government, it is more vulnerable to cuts to that funding. If the state falls short of its budget, it must cut its university funding. Those cuts then must passed on to students in the form of tuition and fee increases.

Dependence on state funding was a significant factor in the tuition increases the University of California system announced in July. Due to a $650 million cut in state funding, students in the UC system will have to adjust to a 9.6% tuition increase -- well over $1,000 extra per year. This increase is so dramatic in part because UC campuses rely on state funding for nearly a third of their budgets, leaving them vulnerable to fluctuations in state budgets and legislative priorities.

In contrast, in 2010 President Lariviere openly opposed the annual 7% tuition increase Oregon students had been asked to shoulder. He instead proposed a structure that would allow UO to fund itself more directly through investments and donations. Even though the state gives UO only 7% of its budget, the Board wasn't pleased with the President's bid for autonomy: Lariviere's last day as UO President is December 28.

The UO community was ignited by the sudden -- if not entirely unexpected -- firing of its head duck. In addition to speaking out online, Lariviere supporters have publicized their ire at his termination during nationally televised UO sporting events. Fans were seen sporting posters and shirts reading "I Stand With The Hat" during the November 26 football game against rival Oregon State, in reference to Lariviere's signature fedora. Oregon won the game 49 to 21, but the decision of the Oregon State Board remains.

Would Arizona's own Board of Regents have the chutzpah and depth of vision to hire a controversial leader like Lariviere for the UA? Though they accused Shelton and Hay of insubordination, they also criticized the former president and provost for lack of clear vision. Lariviere certainly had that at UO -- as well as the support of his faculty and defense from students for his policies, support no UA president within memory has enjoyed (Sander aside). Decreasing dependence on the state and slowing tuition increases are goals this site has endorsed repeatedly -- and, one hopes, ABOR will consider endorsing as well. Lariviere, however, appears to have had his fill of administration: he plans to teach Sanskrit when his tenure as president ends.

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Chemical explosion in bio lab burns UO faculty member

Some details are unclear about the blast that scattered glass in Huestis Hall, which was evacuated afterward

A University of Oregon faculty member sustained serious burns Wednesday when a chemical explosion occurred in a campus science building.

The male faculty member, whose name was not released, was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield for treatment of burns to one arm, and some lacerations. University and police officials said the injuries were not life-threatening, though it was unclear how severe they were.

According to the UO, the explosion was relatively small and reportedly confined to the work station where the faculty member was handling chemicals under an exhaust hood. The incident left broken glass scattered around the area and caused some minor charring but no substantial fire damage.

The explosion occurred about 2:30 p.m. in a lab on the third floor of Huestis Hall on East 13th Avenue. The building is part of the Lokey Science Complex and is just east of Willamette Hall.

An alarm went off on the third floor and people began to evacuate, UO spokesman Phil Weiler said. Soon after, the rest of the building also was evacuated.

Few other details about the incident were immediately available Wednesday. Weiler said it wasn't known what kind of chemicals the faculty member was handling or how the blast was triggered.

An all-clear notice was issued at 3:45 p.m. and people were allowed to return to the building.

Tyler Huycke, a research assistant, said he was on the third floor when the explosion happened on the west side of the three-story building. He said he was on the east side of the building when he heard what sounded like a door being slammed.

Eugene firefighters and a hazardous-materials truck responded to the scene. It took more than an hour to secure the area and make sure no chemical hazards remained.

The blast caused no external damage to the building, and no odors or smoke could be seen. No one else was taken to the hospital, but it wasn't clear whether anyone else was in the vicinity of the explosion.

Classes have ended for the term and few people remain on campus, but some research and other activities continue during the break and the building was still in use Wednesday.

The area where the explosion occurred houses a number of science labs, many involved in various kinds of biology research and instruction. The area that was damaged was closed off, but the rest of the building went back to its regular use.

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Economists split on impact of allowing tax cut to expire in January

Economists are divided on whether the expiration of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits on Jan. 1 would hurt the economy.

The standoff between House Republicans and Senate Democrats on legislation that would extend both programs for two months has made it likely that the payroll tax rate will rise from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent in January.

House Republicans argue the two-month extension of the tax cut would create uncertainty for business, while Democrats and President Obama say it is imperative to keep taxes from rising as the economy recovers. Democrats also say conservatives have never liked the payroll tax cut and are just using it as leverage for policy riders.

Analysts at firms such as Moody's Analytics, Goldman Sachs and Macroeconomic Advisers say the economic impact of failing to extend the tax cut and unemployment benefits would starve the economy of $140 billion in stimulus, reducing GDP by between 0.5 percentage points and 0.9 percentage points in 2012.

Economists at those firms said that the biggest hit to the economy would come in the first quarter of 2012, when people start to receive smaller paychecks.

Moody's Analytics economist Marc Zandi said if the policies are not extended quickly, the economy would be "very close" to a double-dip recession in the first quarter.

"The economy will be very vulnerable at that point to Europe and to the housing price declines," he said. "If anything else goes wrong, we could be in a recession."

Conservative economists at the American Enterprise Institute and The Tax Foundation, on the other hand, say the payroll tax cut has never provided much stimulus to the economy and worry an extension of jobless benefits will prolong unemployment. 

"Just in terms of straight economics, the effects are not large," said Alex Brill of the American Enterprise Institute.

Brill said the payroll tax holiday is similar to the tax rebates passed in 2001 and 2008 in that consumers mostly save the extra money rather than spending it, providing little boost to the economy. He said the uncertainty created by the brinkmanship in Congress is likely hurting the economy, however. 

The division among economists underlines the political divide in Washington over tax policy.

Obama and other Democrats are arguing from the Keynesian perspective that the woes in the economy are due to a lack of demand that can be alleviated by putting more money in the pockets of consumers. 

Some Keynsians say the payroll tax cut works well because the extra money arrives steadily in a bi-weekly paycheck. Extra money in the paycheck is more likely to be spent because many earners spend everything that comes into their checking accounts, they argue.

"That is how I manage my checking account," Zandi said.

Conservative economists are much more skeptical of stimulus and argue the right way to increase growth is to lower income taxes on high earners. They argue that cutting taxes stimulates investment.

Will McBride of The Tax Foundation argues that when the disruptive costs to human resource companies and payroll processors is taken into account, a payroll tax holiday does little to stimulate the economy in the short run and actually harms it in the long run.

McBride said Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development data suggests that in the long-term stimulus that encourages consumption over savings and investment harms growth. The right policy is to flatten the tax code, he said.

Among supporters of the payroll tax cut, there is some division over how harmful it would be if Congress waits and implements the tax cut and jobless benefits retroactively.

Zandi said there would be little effect if Congress retroactively implements the policies.

A family making $50,000 would lose close to $40 from each paycheck, according to White House figures. So delaying the extension until mid-January would have a fraction of the effect of not extending the policy at all.

"A couple of weeks is not a significant event," Alec Phillips of Goldman Sachs said. "If the policies are extended in the middle of the month, this something that doesn't have long-term effect."

Joel Prakken of Macroeconomic Advisers said consumer expectations matter more and argued a lapse in the tax cut could quickly make people gun-shy about spending money.

"If there is ironclad certainty that the holiday will be extended later on and retroactively, then the delay has very little effect," he said. "However, the delay causes uncertainty over the final outcome, and that uncertainty reduces spending by reducing the expectation of future income."

Professor Mark Thoma of the University of Oregon said predicting exactly how earners would react is still the subject of academic debate, but now is not the time to test out the theories of economists.

"It is the wrong time to do anything that would potentially disrupt the recovery," Thoma said. "Letting both of those things expire could send the recovery in the wrong direction."

One opponent of the payroll tax holiday agreed that it will be disruptive but said 2012 is the time to take the medicine.

Jason Fichtner at George Mason University said the payroll tax cut should be allowed to expire because it reduces the flow of money to the Social Security trust fund, making the program more dependent on the general treasury, which is propped up by deficit spending. At some point, he said, the economy needs to be weaned from the tax holiday, and 2012 is as good a time as any.

Analysts are generally in agreement that shoppers are not paying enough attention to the tax issue to dial back their Christmas shopping, which is up this year over 2010. They also do not expect much impact on the stock market.

Brain Gardner of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said that Wall Street did not go into a tailspin after the August debt downgrade and had likely "already priced in" low expectations that Congress can do anything for the economy.

"If there was some sort of pristine view of Congress, then this might shatter that," Brill said. "My view at the moment is that there are pretty low expectations of Congress."

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Late mentions for December 21

Study Links Winning Football and Declining Grades

When a college football team is successful, students put down their books and pick up some beers.

At least, that is the case made by three University of Oregon economists whose study was released this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

In examining the grade-point averages of the Oregon student body and the performance of the Ducks' football team, the researchers found a relationship between declining grades and success on the field.

"Our results support the concern that big-time sports are a threat to American higher education," the paper's authors -- Jason M. Lindo, Isaac D. Swensen and Glen R. Waddell -- wrote. They said their work was among the first to take a look at the "nonmonetary costs" of college sports.

Male students were more likely than female students to increase their alcohol consumption and celebrating and decrease studying when a team fared well, resulting in lower grade-point averages, according to the study.

Women also showed a decline in academic performance, though smaller than their male counterparts. For both sexes, the slack in studying and pop in partying was present only in fall quarters, aligning with the football season.

"The gender gap widens as the football team succeeds," said Waddell, an associate professor.

"I teach these students," he said. "And I know that on Thursdays there's this subtle distraction in the classroom, and the game isn't even until Saturday."

The economists looked at Oregon undergraduate transcript data of 29,737 nonathlete students from 1999 through 2007. Over that period, the football team had a winning percentage that ranged from 45 to 92 percent and averaged 68 percent. (This season, the Ducks are 11-2 and bound for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2.)

From the historical data, the researchers found the relationship between lower grade-point averages and wins for the football team. To try to learn what was driving the findings, they conducted a survey of undergraduates who attended Oregon for two or more years.

Some 24 percent of male students said that the success of Oregon's football team definitely or probably decreased the amount of time they spent studying for classes, compared with 9 percent for women. Both men and women reported that they were more likely to consume alcohol, skip class or party in the wake of a win compared with a loss.

Relative to female students, "we observe a decrease in male academic time investment and an increase in distracting or risky behaviors in response to increased athletic success," the researchers wrote.

David Williford, a University of Oregon spokesman, said about the study: "I would like to try and understand the factors involved to coming to that conclusion. Statistics can prove anything. But that's my personal opinion and not necessarily the university's."

Students at others universities may not be affected by the fortunes of the football team in the same way. Consider Akron: the football team went 3-9 in 2010 and 1-11 this year -- while the student body's G.P.A. declined as well.