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NOVEMBER 6, 2023
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How the Big Ten move impacts the trajectory of women’s sports in the United States
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NEWS: What is ASUO? PG 4 • A&C: Quacktavious flaps his wings PG 10 • SPORTS: Women’s basketball sees strong showing PG 13 M O N D AY, N O VE M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 3
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NEWS
Daily Emerald VOL. 125, ISSUE NO. 14
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WHAT’S WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION?
Travel across Downtown Eugene is being revamped. Here’s what’s changing and how to avoid the construction.
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR
Emma J Nelson
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR
Romie Avivi Stuhl NEWS EDITOR
Tristin Hoffman A&C EDITOR
Evan Huntington SPORTS EDITORS
Nina-Grace Montes Brady Ruth OPINION EDITOR
Sophia Cossette PHOTO EDITORS
Molly McPherson Jonathan Suni DESIGN EDITOR
Liz Blodgett COPY CHIEF
Olivia Ellerbruch SENIOR COPY EDITOR
Alex Woodward VIDEO EDITOR
Anne Marie Armstrong PODCAST EDITOR
Mirandah Davis-Powell SOCIALS EDITOR
Alicia Santiago VISUALS EDITOR
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BUSINESS PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT
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IN OTHER NEWS
BY TYLER ORTIZ • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART Traffic delays, detoured routes and ongoing construction initiatives in Downtown Eugene are part of an effort to enhance accessibility for city commuters.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Evan Reynolds
LOOK ONLINE
The 8th Avenue Streetscape Project is a major construction initiative underway by the city. The project involves repaving 8th Avenue from Lincoln to Mill Street, as outlined in the 2017 Pavement Bond that was approved by Eugene voters during the 2017 Special Election. This bond dedicates $51.2 million to street preservation, bicycle and pedestrian projects across the city. The city plans on converting 8th Avenue into a two-way street in an effort to enhance traffic flow through the Downtown area. This transformation will also introduce four-way signalized intersections at Willamette, Olive and Lincoln Streets, complete with signals for bike lanes. The same stretch of 8th Avenue will be getting a new protected bike lane, as will the west side of High Street from 19th to 6th Avenue. Currently these stretches of road have bike lanes, but they are left exposed to traffic, offering no protection to riders. According to Rachael Love, a civil engineer for the city of Eugene and a project manager for the 8th Avenue Streetscape Project, the bulk of this construction is to improve transportation access for everyone to downtown. “8th Avenue is kind of a vision to connect all users in both directions for travel from downtown to [the] Willamette River,” she said. How will this project impact students’ ability to commute across the city, both during and after construction? Sean Kane, a UO student, shared his frustrations with the construction affecting his job as a bike delivery courier for the delivery service Handle. “Streets being blocked off due to new developments is something I struggle
to navigate around when I have a set time to arrive at each delivery destination,” Kane said. Love said that the city wants to let students and community members know that “we’re encouraging people to use Broadway Street and 6th or 7th Avenue if possible,” so as to avoid construction on 8th Avenue for all forms of transportation. Community members can expect a break from construction this winter, as the city is hoping to finish construction on 8th Avenue from West Park to Mill Street by the end of the year. “Next year, probably early spring, we’ll start from West Park Street down to Lincoln Street,” Love said. After the planned construction is concluded, there will be some changes that may further impact how people travel through the city. “To convert the street to two-way traffic and add protective bike lanes on both sides, we did remove parking along the south side of 8th Avenue for the whole corridor,” Love explained. On-street parking will remain on the north side of the Avenue but, “it’ll be separated from the sidewalk. So, we’ll have a sidewalk, bike lane and then parking along the north side,” Love said. This will create an extra buffer for riders from vehicles and improve the safety of bike travel through downtown. Rob Inerfeld, the city of Eugene’s transportation manager, said that the 8th Avenue Streetscape Project as well as upcoming construction initiatives in Eugene – including the Franklin Boulevard Transformation starting construction in 2026 – align with the city’s overall goal to promote active transportation. “Students can expect upcoming projects to enhance shared mobility along many streets,” Kane said.
CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Anna Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Lola Tagwerker Cori Caplinger Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner
(Molly McPherson/Emerald)
Students and community members rallied in support of Palestine at the EMU Amphitheater on Oct. 27. The event was organized by the UO chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.
(Molly McPherson/Emerald)
UO dining halls are seeing rising food costs, even as students receive the same amount of points in meal plans.
ON THE COVER
The Oregon softball team was recognized during a time-out. The Oregon Ducks football team takes on the Washington State Cougars on Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)
THE DAILY EMERALD
The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.
We want to hear from you:
Construction on 8th Ave. in Downtown Eugene, Ore., has led to narrow driving lanes and chunked-up sidewalks. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
Email editor@ dailyemerald.com to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200-500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.
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W H AT IS A S U O ?
NEWS
ASUO President Chloé Webster is eager to foster a clearer understanding of what ASUO is BY TYLER ORTIZ • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ and does
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Behind the constant hustle and bustle of campus, the resources and events that make student life livable and the money that makes it all happen lies at the Associated Students of the University of Oregon. While ASUO has been serving students as the university’s official student government since 1912 according to archives, many students have little idea about what the organization really does. This year’s ASUO president, Chloé Webster, said that ASUO’s goals continue to change over time, but it always comes back to student engagement, support and elevation. “ASUO is here to listen. But, beyond listen we’re here to act, and we want to do what’s best for students,” Webster said. “We commit to engaging with students and taking the necessary steps to actively improve our campus experience and make it the best it can be.” What does this mean, and how does ASUO bring those goals to life? As the university’s student government, ASUO’s power lies in “the amount of funds we have and the ability to fund resources on campus,” Webster said. Specifically, much of their power lies in handling the Incidental Fee. If ASUO is a beehive, then the I-Fee is its honey. The I-Fee is a required fee that’s part of students’ annual tuition. ASUO manages the I-Fee, which totals at about $9 million, by controlling and deciding how it will be allocated to different programs, departments and contracts that impact the student experience. Apart from the I-Fee, ASUO has other foundational duties. “We’re able to communicate with the administration and communicate with the university to really push on certain issues,” Webster said. But how does such a big portion of money get handled properly, and who exactly is doing the work to help students? Much like any state government, ASUO works through three branches.
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH The executive branch is made up
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of the student body president, vice president and cabinet, which is made up of six directors whose jobs focus on human resources, advocacy and communications. As a branch, the president, vice president and cabinet work together to initiate campaigns and collaborate directly with faculty, staff and any other stakeholders of the student experience.
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The legislative branch is made up of 24 student senators and three financial committees. The student senate manages financial and policy decisions for student organizations, debating these decisions publicly every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the EMU’s Dusty Miller Room, EMU 107. The finance committees include the programs, departments and contracts committees. Each committee has a distinct focus on allocating funds for either student organizations, university departments or programs and contractual units that are funded outside of the university. “There’s a lot of different units that we fund internally within the university that I think a lot of students don’t realize,” Webster said.
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH The judicial branch is the constitutional court for ASUO. Made up of five members, they decide what ASUO’s governing rules, documents and formal processes look like. Any broken rules, grievances or violations regarding ASUO members or actions are handled by this branch. To offer a
new perspective on the officers that make up ASUO, some of the staff shared what it’s like to be in the office on a day-to-day basis. “It’s really nice to be in an environment where everyone is a student, and you’re all doing important work, and working on important issues, but there’s a lot more, like, empathy, because we all have this kind of shared experience in life,” Alexander Aghdaei, ASUO’s chief of staff, said regarding working on a staff made up of the student body. The current vice president, Finn Jacobson, stressed that ASUO is not only a financial controller working behind the scenes, but an organization committed to bettering the student experience. As the leaders of ASUO this year, Jacobson and Webster want to make sure students are aware of this. “If you come in, and everyone’s you know, working on their laptops, there can be this level of intimidation,” Webster said about the ASUO office. “I would encourage students to hold us accountable and ask us, ‘Hey, this is something I’m running into, what can you do to help me?’. If students come in, that’s great, because we’re actually hearing firsthand the issues that need to be fixed. And we want to fix them.”
Chloe Webster, the ASUO president, and Finn Jacobson, the ASUO vice president, stand in the ASUO office in the EMU. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)
OPINION
PROCTOR: OREGON SHOULD INSTITUTE DEGROWTH POLICIES OPINION: We need to move beyond infinite economic growth BY IAN PROCTOR • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ One of the many diverse branches of the climate movement is the emergence of the degrowth economic ideology. Proponents of degrowth say that fully transitioning off of fossil fuels will not be enough to solve climate change; it’s the multiple ecological crises facing the planet that must be solved as well, like pollution and deforestation. The main culprit? Economic growth, which is the main driver of climate change and overconsumption, and runs on fossil fuel energy systems. Initially devised by ecological economists, degrowth has been gaining popularity as “green growth” has failed so far to prevent catastrophic warming (of course, these two approaches to fighting climate change are not mutually exclusive). Green growth is an attempt to mitigate global warming by substituting fossil fuels with cleaner energy, while still relying on the same capitalistic systems that are causing climate change. After all, the main goal of capitalism is unrestricted, infinite growth. Of course, infinite growth does not necessarily bode well on a finite planet. In fact, right now, the weight of all human society outweighs that of the natural world. We’ve reached the point where growth is being driven for the sake of growth. Physical growth is tied to economic growth. After all, do we really need all these big-box stores and power strip malls everywhere? They’re just here to increase GDP growth. Thanks, Ronald Reagan. But, under degrowth, how would we measure our society’s success? Growth, measured by GDP, is the main metric by which we currently do so. Well, degrowth proponents say that a metric such as a Happiness Index, or a Human Development Index, would not only help to eliminate growth as a societal goal but promote values that would result in citizens having better lives. A shift in focus away from economic growth and toward human well-being could also shift cities’ focus internally towards intensive development. In other words, jobs such as artistic architectural renovation and environmental stewardship could become the new norm. Degrowth originated in the 1970s; degrowth conferences began to be held every two years, starting in Paris in 2008. The second conference, held in Barcelona in 2010, was the first to articulate concrete policy ideas. Since then, degrowth has gained support from climate scientists and intergovernmental panels.
for forests, agriculture and recreation. Concrete political action to achieve degrowth Another policy that could be enacted would is only now just getting started; the Democratic be a series of internal reforms in the Oregon Socialists of America recently started a “Degrowth state legislature and treasury to move the “goal” Ecosocialist” caucus, though it is important to from GDP growth towards something like HDI, note that degrowth is not necessarily socialism. changing the objective of the economy away from So, what are some policies that a country growth and towards taking care of its people. such as the United States could do to transition Once the end goal of the state is changed, the towards degrowth? methods to attain that end goal could change, too. The first policy necessary to accomplish Entire countries have already done this, too — degrowth is a much stronger federal government Bhutan has adopted “gross national happiness” — like the one we had before Reaganomics instead of GDP as its primary development began its 40-year government-gutting spree. indicator, and various countries have formed a The government will need to play a massive role “Wellbeing Economy Governments” alliance. in reshaping society. So, to accomplish this, the Finally, Oregon could also enact some sort of wealthy will need to be taxed a lot more, which universal basic income. Alaska has already done would also reduce income inequality, killing two this thanks to its oil money. In 2022, Alaska’s birds with one stone. universal basic income program paid out about Another policy that degrowth proponents $3,284 per person. believe would be helpful is a universal basic If we can move away from economic growth, income. The Andrew Yang campaign in 2020 we may have a chance at stopping global warming proposed one. Even though Yang lost the primary, before it’s too late. And Oregon may be the place the United States ended up experimenting with to start the trend. a form of the concept via their distribution of stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A view you can expect of the main trail that COVID itself, in fact, could leads you to the top of the butte. Eugene offers be a model for degrowth. As countless hiking spots that can be a fun way private businesses shut down to get out and about in nature anytime of year. (Liam Sherry/Emerald) and the economy shrank to only necessary sectors, American citizens were propped up by a universal basic income. Finally, more labor policies must be enacted, including a four-day work week. Unions must grow and private businesses must be democratized. Obviously, like any attempt to reform the nation, it would be challenging. But instead of federally, can degrowth be enacted in a single state like Oregon? What would it take? Is it even possible? Well, Oregon has already enacted some anti-growth policies. One of Oregon’s many unique features is its Urban Growth Boundary. Enacted in 1980, this policy limits suburban sprawl and preserves large swaths of Oregonian wilderness M O N D AY, N O VE M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 3
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OPINION
HOBBS: SIGMA KAPPA’S TURBULENT YEAR OF RECRUITMENT OPINION: Sigma Kappa had a difficult time recruiting this year due to disrespect from potential new members BY MONICA HOBBS • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ Sorority recruitment at the University of Oregon took place at the beginning of October. With 11 chapters and over 800 potential new members, the Panhellenic Council was in for a ride this year. Yet the chapter with the most outlandish experience was Sigma Kappa.
recruiters so they won’t be invited back. The lengths they go to are pretty appalling, from talking about inappropriate things to body shaming. Young checked in with her sisters after each day, where she noted countless stories of tanking. PNMs would frequently verbally disrespect
The members went into recruitment expecting some peculiarities. The UO The Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity house was chapter, along with others around the previously occupied by Sigma Kappa. (Molly McPherson/Emerald) country, lost its facility earlier this year due to a decision from Sigma Kappa’s national chapter. To accommodate these changes, Sigma Kappa held their recruitment in the Erb Memorial Union building. This subfactor set the chapter at a slight disadvantage, as the other 10 chapters on campus recruited in their own facilities. UO fourth-year student Jordana Young is a member of Sigma Kappa. She had an outside perspective on recruitment this year by being on the Panhellenic Council. Young noticed a lot of negative backlash after the first day. “When things are new, it’s normally a turnoff for people. A lot of freshmen who are PNMs aren’t looking for different,” Young said. I had a unique perspective like Young’s. members in Sigma Kappa, according to Young. I was a recruitment counselor, meaning I “To hear my sisters go through such hardship temporarily disaffiliated from my chapter to help and face instances where PNMs literally turn potential new members throughout the process. around and refuse to talk to people. It’s a lack of In the first two days, I heard a few negative human connection,” she said. comments about Sigma Kappa, particularly about Young believes tanking ties back to outside them not having a facility. I quickly shut down factors, such as social media, Greek Rank and peers. the rumors to the best of my ability. It wasn’t until Ultimately, it’s a way for PNMs to get what they want. mid-recruitment that the backlash got out of hand. Aside from the disrespect, tanking Rumors of “tanking” began circulating in the misrepresents Panhellenic values and what Panhellenic community. The term can be best they stand for. PHC emphasizes a sense of described as PNMs purposely disrespecting chapter
community and empowerment, where all of the chapters are united and collaborate. PHC has taken strides to move away from the toxic energy these PNMs bear. “Our values are based on siblinghood, like bringing people together and raising each other up. Even women empowerment in Panhellenic and being inclusive towards all people. They don’t represent us because that’s not what we stand for,” Young said. By the end of recruitment, the effects of tanking were prominent. The amount of Sigma Kappa new members was noticeably smaller than the other chapters. “I was caught off-guard but also I guess shocked. It’s hard hearing 50, 50, 50 and then 15. It’s like, oh wow. That’s a reality,” Young said. Realistically, it’s no coincidence that the smallest chapter with some of the most racial and body diversity experienced hostility. The absence of a facility was just a facade. As said before, tanking is not a new thing. We should be addressing why discrimination towards diverse chapters persists. The Panhellenic Council is now discussing how to better prevent tanking for the next recruitment. In terms of Sigma Kappa, the members welcomed their new sisters with open arms. The chapter continues to grow as they search for a new facility. “Definitely a learning curve for all of us, figuring out how we’re going to run a chapter differently than we ever before,” Young said. “We don’t know a lot yet, but we’ll figure it out. It’s a work in progress for sure.” Editors’ Note: Monica Hobbs is a member of UO’s Kappa Alpha Theta sorority chapter. M O N D AY, N O VE M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 3
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COVER
THE LEGACY OF PAC-12 WOMEN’S SPORTS WILL LIVE ON
A farewell to the conference that once featured the highest level of competition in female collegiate athletics BY LILY CRANE • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART
Conference realignment is looming and will have a significant impact on the landscape of women’s sports. Oregon officially announced its exit from the Pac-12 on Aug. 4, but it was not alone in its decision to realign. Nine other teams are exiting the Pac-12, including Washington, UCLA and USC, which will all join the Big Ten in 2024. While sports like college football may have opportunities to succeed further, other college sports will be put in a difficult position. The Pac-12 conference has historically been one of the most successful conferences in the nation across the board in women’s sports. Year after year, the Pac-12 has a handful of teams in the Top 25 rankings in volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s soccer and softball. The conference has Ducks attacker Lauren Rismani (3) searches for a pass near the goal. The University of Oregon women’s lacrosse team defeated the Xavier University Musketeers in its first home match at Papé Field in Eugene, Ore., on Feb. 12, 2023. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
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204 national championships in women’s sports –– and that’s only since the NCAA established championships on the women’s side in 1980.
THAT LEVEL OF HIGH COMPETITION IS NOW GONE. “I like the style of play. That’s why I came to the conference,” Oregon women’s basketball guard Chance Gray said at Pac-12 media day according to The Oregonian. Like Gray, a lot of players committed to schools in the Pac-12 because of its rich history. “It was pretty emotional at first hearing the news of the Pac-12 just because of the history it has and the presence it has with softball,” Oregon softball shortstop Paige Sinicki told Sports Illustrated in August. “I’ve been committed to playing in the Pac-12 since I was 13. I think it was such an emotional reaction with other teammates as well because of how long I’ve been thinking
about the Pac-12.” Pac-12 softball teams have won 24 Women’s College World Series, with the most recent being UCLA in 2019. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 has combined for more national championships in volleyball than any other conference in the nation. The conference has had recent success in basketball, highlighted by an all-Pac-12 matchup between Stanford and Arizona in the 2021 National Championship. Soccer has clinched seven national titles in the past 15 years and in 2019, three of the four College Cup teams came from the Pac-12. Oregon volleyball head coach Matt Ulmer praised the competition in the conference before a road trip against the Washington schools in October. “Anybody that we play, again we have Washington State, but then we have Washington on ESPN as our rival. I think that’s pretty exciting too,” Ulmer said to the media. “They’re all really good matches and will give us an opportunity to
COVER
“WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO NON-REVENUE SPORTS LIKE ROWING? WILL ALL OF THE TEAMS LOSE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING? ... HIGHER-UPS ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS WITH LITTLE REGARD TO THE IMPACT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES.” EVAN PARK, OSU student athlete prepare ourselves.” Oregon volleyball plays against teams that regularly make the NCAA Tournament, which helps its national ranking and gets the team ready to play for the postseason. “I’ve always loved coaching in this league,” Ulmer said after a loss to Arizona State. “Everybody is so good and any night they can get you. It doesn’t matter who they are. It’s a great league to prepare you for the end.” In addition to the schools going to the Big Ten, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State will all move to the Big 12. Stanford and Cal will go to the Atlantic Coast Conference. That leaves Oregon State and Washington State as the remaining two teams in the Pac-12. The implications of being left behind could be devastating for the Beavers’ and Cougars’ athletic programs. OSU student athlete Evan Park criticized the decision at the House Committee on Higher Education meeting on Sept. 28. “What will happen to non-revenue sports like rowing? Will all of the teams lose significant funding? How will the city of Corvallis thrive without the revenue of inconference games?” Park said. “Higher-ups are making these decisions with little regard to the impact of student-athletes.” The choice by universities to move to conferences cross-country essentially comes
down to monetary opportunities. Oregon and Washington fled the Pac-12 after not getting the broadcast deal they wanted. Oregon released a statement on its website on Oct. 9 explaining its decision following criticism from the community. “The most concrete alternative on the table was to renew a grant of media rights to the Pac-12 at a value less than the current Pac-12 deal,” according to the statement by the University of Oregon. “In practice, this proposed deal was for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, and would have required every Duck fan to purchase a Pac-12 package, either through a streaming service or as a standalone.” In the fall of 2022, ESPN offered a $30 million per school deal to the Pac-12. According to Pac12 insider John Canzano, that offer was rejected because the conference wanted $50 million. Much of the issue with the media rights deal had to do with lower television ratings of football and men’s college basketball than broadcast companies would’ve liked. The Southeastern Conference, the Big Ten and the Big 12 have all regularly dominated the Pac-12 in ratings in recent years. The ultimate decision to switch conferences, though, will have an impact that goes much further than just television ratings. Not only does conference realignment leave a powerhouse conference to dust, but it also affects
The Oregon Ducks took on the Utah Utes in Eugene, Ore., on Feb. 5, 2023. (Ali Watson/Emerald)
the women’s professional sports landscape. “You’ve only got to look at the National Championships that have been won,” Oregon women’s soccer head coach Graeme Abel said about Pac-12 soccer. “Then you look at what it produced, in terms of coaches. Obviously my old boss, Jill Ellis from UCLA and then the amount of players that it produced for the national team.” Twenty-three current and former Pac-12 athletes represented nine different nations in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The United States had nine Pac12 players, which was more than any other conference in NCAA soccer. In addition, 20 former Pac-12 players made opening day WNBA rosters in 2023. Time will tell whether or not those trends continue, but the historical matchups that led those teams and players to national prominence will fade away. The championships that were won and draft picks that were produced, however, will always remain. “Unbelievable in terms of the legacy that it leaves behind and stuff,” Abel said. “Some really, really good soccer over the years.” A new chapter awaits collegiate athletics. But as the future of women’s college sports approaches, fans won’t be able to forget the historical conference left behind. M O N D AY, N O VE M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 3
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A&C
QUACKTAVIOUS: A PET DUCK AND HIS OWNER’S RISE TO FAME
When Jeremy Jackson decided to buy a duck, he had no clue his pet would become the honorary mascot of his new university
BY JESS MCCOMB • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART When Jeremy Jackson adopted his pet duck Quacktavious in the spring, he was a student at Mississippi State University. Jackson had no idea he would transfer to UO, where his pet would match the mascot, or that he would become an internet and campus-wide sensation. “It was a very spur-of-the-moment decision,” Jackson said. “I told my roommate, I said, ‘Bro, I’m just gonna go buy a duck.’ And so then I just went and bought a duck.” When Quacktavious was a duckling, he lived life as a stow-away, sleeping in a box in Jackson’s dorm unbeknownst to the RA across the hall. It became a sort of scavenger hunt for the supervisors of on-campus housing at Mississippi State — they knew there was a duck on campus, but they couldn’t find out where he was staying. Eventually, Jackson’s RA discovered
Jeremy Jackson and his famous pet duck, Quacktavious. The duo gained popularity on campus after Jeremy brought Quacktavious to an Oregon football game at Autzen Stadium. (Lulu Devoulin/Emerald) PA G E 1 0
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Quacktavious, but he turned a blind eye and the duck remained in the dorms for the rest of Jackson’s time at Mississippi State. When he moved to Oregon, Jackson decided to make things official and get Quacktavious registered as an emotional support animal. He said the process was seamless and when he went to get Quacktavious approved at his apartment, they treated the situation as if he were any other household pet. “I was like, ‘Ok, this is gonna be sketchy; they’ve seen dogs, they’ve seen cats, but dude, I’ve got a duck,’” Jackson said. “But they just didn’t even react. I think they’re just like, ‘Oh yeah, we the ones with the duck.’ They’re proud of it.” Graduated from his box in the dorm and settled into Jackson’s apartment, Quacktavious is living lavishly. He spends his nights sleeping in Jackson’s room and has regular baths in Jackson’s bathtub, which Jackson said must be lukewarm and candlelit. “Bro’s like 100% bougie,” Jackson said. “He gotta have the lights off, gotta have that candle going. And then I put him in the water and he just cleans himself.” When Jackson isn’t busy with classes, he takes Quacktavious to campus. Out of respect, Jackson doesn’t take Quacktavious into any of the buildings, but the two of them can be found strolling around outside, Quacktavious waddling only a few webbed feet behind Jackson. “He likes to play in the grass a lot and there’s not a lot of grass near my apartment so that’s the main reason I take him to campus,” Jackson said. “But it’s also because, you know, why not. He’s our mascot; it doesn’t get any better than having a live duck on campus.” The response to Quacktavious has been overwhelmingly positive. When he attended the Colorado vs. Oregon football game as a guest in the student section, Quacktavious went viral from a video posted by popular social media account Barstool Ducks. In the video, Jackson hoists Quacktavious into the air and the crowd around him loses it. The next video shows sheriffs trying to kick Quacktavious out of the student section as the crowd chants, “keep the duck.” After the sheriffs approved Jackson’s ESA license, Quacktavious was permitted to stay and watch the rest of the game. Now, Quacktavious is frequently recognized and approached on campus. He has become quite a presence at UO. Jackson said while Quacktavious does like the attention, the duck sometimes gets overstimulated. “There’ll be some times where a whole bunch of people just walk up to me and they’re just trying to pet him at the same time,” he said. “I can feel him getting overwhelmed because I’m getting overwhelmed. It’s just like okay, either I’m gonna take a step back or y’all can take a step back because we’re getting uncomfortable.” Oftentimes, students will acknowledge the duck before Jackson, but he said he doesn’t really mind. “To be honest, I’m kind of introverted, and so I kind of try to put all the attention on him,” he said. Jackson has made a few genuine friends from the exposure Quacktavious is getting. At first, he was worried that being a transfer student would make him an “oddball.” “I thought being a transfer would be awkward, you know, not knowing anyone,” he said. But having Quacktavious around and being approached on campus so often has helped Jackson to connect with his new community. “He has helped me to be more sociable and I think that’s the biggest bonus, you know, he’s helping me,” Jackson said. But most of all, Quacktavious has become his friend. “He’s imprinted on me, but I’ve also imprinted on him.”
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A&C
STRANGE WEATHER EXHIBIT DEBUTS AT THE JORDAN SCHNITZER MUSEUM OF ART
Leonardo Drew’s art piece, “Number 215B,” depicts a large room full of wood splinters across the wall jutting out to the edges recalling the wreckages that are brought upon us during “natural” disasters. ‘Strange Weather’ at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is on display from Oct. 21, 2023 to April 7, 2024. (Sebastian Flores/Emerald)
From the collection of Jordan Schnitzer, Strange Weather features contemporary works that collectively acknowledge human and environmental trauma BY HARPER MAHOOD • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART Dressed in a dark gray suit and Nike running shoes, Jordan Schnitzer addresses a small crowd of UO alumni, staff and students who are gathered on the second floor of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. It is Oct. 20 and Schnitzer is unveiling the museum’s latest exhibition, Strange Weather, the night before it opens to the public. Looming behind him, a massive wall-to-wall installation extends in every direction, daring the audience to come closer. Schnitzer takes a brief pause, pulls his cellphone from his pocket and omits a loud “Hey” throughout the gallery. The man on the other side of the phone is Leonardo Drew, the creator of the energetic installation that the crowd has spent the last half hour seated in front of. Drew came of age in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and spent many of his formative years sifting through the landfill located across from the housing project his family lived in. While his work is not made from found objects, the jagged quality of his materials emulates a similar feeling. Titled “215B,” the work contextualizes itself in the Strange Weather exhibition as an explosion whose source is open to the viewer’s interpretation. “Each iteration has taken on a different form,” Drew said to the crowd via a FaceTime call with Schnitzer. “In the end these works morph into a space or composition that is afforded by it. It’s always changing or transforming.” Drew is one of many influential artists whose work was selected for Strange Weather, which opened on Oct. 21 at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum PA G E 1 2
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of Art, located in the heart of the UO campus. The exhibit features art that spans the course of 50 years from 1970 to 2020. The works are strung together by their collective acknowledgement of the impact and history of forced migrations, industrialization, human trauma and global capitalism. “This exhibition has art that grabs you and shakes you and makes you think,” Schnitzer said. Another notable artist featured in the exhibition is Kehinde Wiley, a Brooklyn-based painter, sculptor and videographer. Wiley’s work places people of color inside Old Master-style paintings. Commissioned by former President Barack Obama, Wiley became the first African-American artist to paint a U.S. presidential portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Wiley’s presence in the Strange Weather exhibit comes in the form of a large-scale painting titled “The World Stage: Marechal Floriano Peixoto II.” The painting features two men dressed in casual streetwear, surrounded by a background of yellow and orange tropical flowers and toucans. Wiley’s work deals with issues of identity and marginalization and weaves themes of the natural world throughout. Identity is a subject that many of the pieces in Strange Weather work to address. “In the end, one thing you’ll see about this exhibition is we’re all human beings,” Schnitzer said. “So we only know what we know by the experiences we’ve had.” Wendy Red Star’s photo series, “Four Seasons,” addresses identity by challenging the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans in art and popular culture. The self-portraits featured in Strange Weather position Red Star in contrived scenes
of inflatable animals and unnatural materials. Utilizing eye-catching backdrops and colors, Red Star works to challenge the viewer’s perceptions of femininity and Native culture through her photographs. Named Strange Weather for the range of atmospheric conditions that encompass both nature and humanity, all of the works in the exhibit have a tie to the natural world. Strange Weather is woven together and explained by a Toni Morrison quote, which reads, “By and by all trace is gone, and what is forgotten is not only the footprints but the water too and what is down there. The rest is weather. Not the breath of the disremembered and unaccounted for, but wind in the eaves, or spring ice thawing too quickly. Just weather.” Other artists whose works are on display include Carlos Almaraz, Carlos Amorales, Leonardo Drew, Joe Feddersen, Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds, James Lavadour, Nicola López, Hung Liu, Julie Mehretu, Alison Saar, Lorna Simpson, Kiki Smith, Charles Wilbert White and Terry Winters. “Life is a continuum of issues that we all face,” Schnitzer said. “But if you have a passion for the arts and you can get away to a gallery or museum, art on the street, and just for that moment be taken away with the breadth and depth of that artist speaking out to you, maybe, just maybe, you go back to face those issues with a different perspective.” The Strange Weather exhibit runs at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art until April 7 and is free to students.
SPORTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEES STRONG SHOWING
The Ducks looked promising against Southern Oregon at an Oct. 29 exhibition game BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY LIZ BLODGETT The Oregon bench hypes up the team after a successful play. The University of Oregon women’s basketball team beat the Southern Oregon Raiders 76-55 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 29, 2023. (Kemper Flood/ Emerald)
The Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team kicked off its 2023-24 season when it played the Southern Oregon Raiders in an Oct. 29 exhibition game just over a week before its first official game. Oregon won 76-55. For the Ducks, this game served as a precursor to the season, allowing them to log game time minutes with new additions before the official start of the season. The Ducks had some familiar faces on the roster, bringing back three starters from last season in Chance Gray, Grace VanSlooten and Phillipina Kyei. However, it was the first chance for fans to see new faces Sofia Bell and Peyton Scott in an Oregon uniform. Bell, a freshman coming from Jesuit High School in Portland, impressed in her first appearance. She had 10 points and three steals in her Ducks debut. Head coach Kelly Graves lauded Bell’s defensive abilities after the game and talked about how important her defense will be for the team. “She likes to play that end of the court,” Graves said. “She’s versatile too. She can guard
three or four positions.” Scott finished second on the team in points, tallying 14 and shooting an efficient 2-3 from three-point-range. She was part of a three guard lineup in the Oregon starting lineup, playing alongside Bell and Gray. VanSlooten, who finished last season with just one three-point attempt, shot three in this game. She made two of those three attempts and finished the game with 13 points. She also added four rebounds. VanSlooten served as the de-facto power forward for the Ducks. However, she played much more on the perimeter than inside the paint as the Oregon offense valued spacing and ball movement over working the ball into the post. Kyei logged just 15 minutes in the game, but that was partially due leaving the game in the first quarter with a minor injury. She returned in the second quarter after resting for the remainder of the first, but also did not play much of the second half when Graves put in many of the younger players on the team. Kyei finished with eight points and seven rebounds and was able to leverage her size advantage to add three blocks.
Despite holding a massive height advantage over Southern Oregon, with Kyei often guarded by a sixfoot or shorter defender, Oregon did not utilize the post very often in the contest. The Ducks finished the game with just 26 points in the paint. Part of that can be attributed to great threepoint shooting, as Oregon shot 44% from three in the game, but the Ducks also avoided playing in the paint for most of the game. The Ducks did still utilize their centers, opting for more high-post facilitation and dribble hand-offs from that position. The game plan seemed to revolve around the guard play with the trio of starting guards, Gray, Bell and Scott, combining for 41 points in the game. The bench unit was led in minutes by guard Kennedi Williams. Williams, who did not score in the game and attempted just one shot, led the team in assists with six and added five rebounds. Her performance and prominence in the offense furthered the idea that the Ducks’ game plan leaned heavily on the play of the guards. The box score of the game does not accurately represent the level of play that Oregon was performing at during this game. The fourth quarter saw mostly bench players playing as the Ducks opened the quarter with a 31-point lead. Oregon totaled 11 turnovers as compared to just six points in the quarter and lost the quarter 16-6 to end the game in a 21-point win despite leading for more than that for the majority of the contest. Overall, the Ducks had a very strong showing in their first action this season. The starters were able to log heavy minutes together, and all finished with at least a +17 plus/minus for the game. The strong play of the guards was a promising sign for an Oregon team that appears to favor a guard heavy approach. The rebounding advantage, while against a much smaller team, was very significant and serves as a good sign of the Ducks’ ability to box out and leverage a size advantage on the boards. Oregon will take on Northern Arizona in the first game of the season as they look to begin their campaign to make it back into the NCAA Tournament. M O N D AY, N O VE M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 3
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SPORTS
DUCKS’ NEW STAR POWER
With the Ducks’ addition of three very highly ranked recruits, how will they fare given their recent subpar seasons BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ
After a very lackluster 2022-23 campaign that saw Oregon basketball start the season in the top25 but end up not making it to March Madness, it has new hope going into the 2023-24 season. The team has a lot of stars returning, including centers N’Faly Dante and Nate Bittle along with guard Jermaine Couisnard, who hope to lead this team to big things. The caveat is, the veterans are joined by some of the highest ranked recruits that Oregon has ever had. According to 247Sports, the Ducks brought in their 4th, 8th and 12th highest recruits of all time in Kwame Evans Jr., Jackson Shelstad and Mookie Cook. Evans, a McDonald’s All-American, is a positionless forward with all the intangibles to be a star in college basketball. He was 2023’s 15th ranked recruit according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, which take into account their rankings as well as rankings from several other recruiting databases. The 6-foot-9 forward can add a lot of versatility and athleticism to the stacked Oregon frontcourt.
Teammates help up Ducks guard Will Richardson (0) after a fall. Oregon men’s basketball host the Washington State Cougars at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on Dec. 1 , 2022. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
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Evans is not an on-ball playmaker, which will complement Dante’s low-post game, which often leads to him drawing a double-team when he has the ball on the block. The freshman phenom has already started to fit in with his new co-stars and figured out an effective way to support them. “If I’m on the floor with either [Bittle or Dante], I know they’re gonna get the ball down low,” Evans said at Oregon’s basketball media day. “So if they’re getting trapped I’ll be helping and cut down to the rim.” He has elite ability to score at the rim and has improved his spot-up shooting a lot recently, and with his already versatile and high caliber defensive skills, he should be a terrific addition for the Ducks. The No. 24 ranked recruit in 247Sports’ composite Shelstad has stated “Oregon was always my dream school,” and has drawn comparisons to a fellow West Linn native and Ducks’ legend Payton Pritchard. Shelstad is a 6-foot point guard who can score in droves and has elite playmaking talent that Oregon
desperately needs with the loss of Will Richardson. The back-to-back Gatorade Player of the Year in Oregon will have to contend with veteran Keeshawn Barthelemy for the starting role this season. Barthelemy plays very similarly to Shelstad and has acted as a major mentor to the freshman, which Shelstad has stated as a reason for his ease into the program so far. The Ducks have a gaping hole in the backcourt, and in order to take this team to the tournament and further, they need to patch that hole. Shelstad seems to be that replacement, already impressing many at practice with his playmaking and energy. One of the main reasons Shelstad is so comfortable is that he has long-time friend and the No. 30 ranked player in 247Sports’ composite Cook in the locker room with him. Cook is a 6-foot-7 versatile forward and would slot in perfectly in a frontcourt with him, Evans and Dante. When asked about Cook, Shelstad said “he’s a do-it-all type of guy — rebounds, blocks shots and scores the ball.” Cook is an elite slasher, and with the shooting ability of the Ducks, he will be fine passing up on some shots. He will also be a very valuable asset on the defensive end, as he is a great on-ball defender and can defend both guards and forwards while also being a big, athletic body to protect the rim and get rebounds. Cook had surgery on his ankle recently and will be out of action until “at least mid-december to January,” according to head coach Dana Altman. This will most likely impact his ability to find a spot in the rotation immediately upon return. However, the talent is definitely there for Altman to take a chance on Cook to really boost an experienced and athletic squad. One of the major keys to Oregon’s potential success is if its stars can all stay healthy at the same time. Last season saw many guys go down with slight knocks that affected their play throughout the campaign, so the Ducks will be hoping to avoid the injury bug this year. With the injection of young talent into this roster, they are primed for big things. If Evans, Cook and Shelstad all see productive minutes and the rest of the group stays healthy, the Ducks have a real shot of making March Madness, if not even farther.
CROSSWORD ACROSS
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Home Flight Blankets Return To The Duck Store! Sponsored content
After selling out in a matter of weeks, the Home Flight Blankets will return on November 1st. These blankets were first released in February 2022 as a collaboration between The Duck Store, the University of Oregon Alumni Association, and the University of Oregon. A portion of the proceeds go to the Home Flight Scholars Program and the Native Duck Nation Alumni Network. These two programs work towards building a cultural community for Native students at the University of Oregon. In 2022 the University of Oregon celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day by announcing the Home Flight Scholars Program. Crafted with the UO Native American Advisory Council,this program addresses financial, cultural, and academic challenges that Native American and Alaskan students may face during their time at University of Oregon. The Home Flight Scholars Program covers full tuition and fee costs, created a new academic advisor position, and builds mentorship opportunities and develops a culture-rich program for new students. With proceeds going to support Native ducks, the design and manufacture of the Home Flight Blankets was as thoughtful. UO alumni Kale’a Calica-Younker (Coquille/Miluk Coos/Umpqua) and her father Shirod Younker (Coquille/Miluk Coos/Umpqua). designed these blankets. The inspiration for the blanket’s design came from seasonal changes we see in the Willamette Valley and traditional basket designs. The blanket is purposefully designed to reflect ducks supporting each other through their various paths and goals. The Home Flight blankets double - sided print features UO’s traditional green and yellow colorway. Native stories, pride, and achievements are reflected in the creation of this blanket. Seattle-based art and lifestyle brand owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe, Eighth Generation manufactured the 59”x78” Home Flight Blanket on 100% aotearoa wool. These thoughtfully crafted blankets are available for purchase when ordered through The Duck Store. After last year’s strong support, the blankets sold out in only three weeks. Starting on November 1st, 300 blankets will be released. Support these wonderful programs and NIAN students by purchasing your own Home Flight Blanket at the Duck Store!
Keyen Singer, UO Miss Indigenous ‘23-’24, models the home flight
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