Issuu

APRIL 26, 2021

Monday Edition

Emerald Media

MEET THE NOMINEES

Pending confirmation from the Oregon Senate, seven new people will serve on the UO Board of Trustees. NEWS

BEES HAVE RETURNED TO THE EMU ROOF PG 3

A&C WOMXN AND FILM PG 4

OPINION ALPHA SIGMA PHI'S DEPARTURE PG 9

SPORTS HISTORIC WEEKEND IN HAYWARD PG 11 M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

EMERALD

PA G E 1

NEWS

ANNA MATTSON NAMED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF ETHOS MAGAZINE Mattson has plans to increase outreach and community engagement for the future of Ethos. VOL. 122, ISSUE NO. 48

BY JANE GLAZER • TWITTER @JANEGLAZER

GET IN TOUCH

EMERALD MEDIA GROUP 1395 UNIVERSITY ST., #302 EUGENE, OR 97403 541.346.5511

“Our mission is about telling stories from the community, and I want the community to feel comfortable to reach out to Ethos and say, ‘Hey, I really want this story to be published,’ or ‘This is a community that’s not being represented, can we talk about it?’”

NEWSROOM EDITOR IN CHIEF

Ryan Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR

Francis O’Leary

Anna Mattson

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

Incoming Ethos Magazine editor-in-chief

Ashley Ng

NEWS EDITORS

Jack Forrest Duncan Baumgarten Ardeshir Tabrizian A&C EDITORS

Sarah-Mae McCullough Grace Murray SPORTS EDITORS

Shane Hoffmann Mojo Hill Charlie Gearing PHOTO EDITOR

Maddie Knight DESIGN EDITOR

Kira Chan COPY CHIEF

Sophia Edelblute Capps MULTIMEDIA EDITORS

Meaghan FitzPatrick Sarah Miller DIGITAL EDITOR

Jordan McMinn

BUSINESS PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Bill Kunerth X317

bkunerth@dailyemerald.com VP OPERATIONS

Kathy Carbone X302

kcarbone@dailyemerald.com DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shelly Rondestvedt X303

srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Sam Rudkin X327

creative@dailyemerald.com STUDENT SALES MANAGER

Stella Kalomiris

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Patrick McCumber Keaton Roberts Amy Menendez

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.

ON THE COVER

Illustration by Eleanor Klock

PA G E 2

EMERALD

Emerald Media Group has selected University of Oregon junior Anna Mattson to be the next editor-in-chief of the quarterly print magazine Ethos. She will assume responsibility for the magazine June 21. Jade Stewart, the current editor-in-chief of Ethos, said he thinks Mattson is the perfect person for this job. “I think Anna really believes in the mission of Ethos,” Stewart said. “She has all the organizational, editorial and leadership skills necessary for the position.” Stewart said that working with Mattson this past year has been great; he described her as being responsible, responsive and collaborative. Mattson said that at first, she wasn’t sure she would apply for the position, but after talking with Stewart she felt elevated in her ability. “I think a lot of the time student journalists feel so much hesitation as if they were good enough or not,” Mattson said. “Applying didn’t take a whole lot of convincing — I think I just needed the final push to feel confident enough.” Mattson described the application process — which includes a cover letter, around 15 essay questions and three interviews — as “arduous.” She ran against Ethos’ multimedia editor, Jassy McKinley. Mattson said that she thinks the publication already has great content; she said Stewart has spent a lot of time making sure their magazine was something “special, important and professional.” Because of this, one of her main goals is to get Ethos’ work out to the community. To do so, Mattson plans to add a submission page to the website and use interactive Instagram and Twitter story highlights. “Our mission is about telling stories from the community, and I want the community to feel comfortable to reach out to Ethos and say, ‘Hey, I really want this story to be

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

published,’ or ‘This is a community that’s not being represented, can we talk about it?’” Mattson said. Ensuring that Ethos gets more recognition throughout the UO community and Eugene is something important to Stewart, too. “I think that over the last two years, we’ve really improved the content of Ethos,” Stewart said. “Our stories are really well reported, we have really engaging photography and we’ve also made some good videos. I think what Ethos needs right now is more recognition, and I think that Anna is in a good place to prove to the community that our publication has value and it’s worth reading.” Apart from outreach, Mattson said she is also excited to encourage team bonding and making the Ethos workplace a fun place to be. Mattson said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made the workspace feel more isolated and that she is excited to eventually return to in-person meetings. “I’m really grateful for the current executives and the people on the team right now that have done a really great job in making Ethos a safe space and a really great place to work,” Mattson said. “I’m really excited to take over and to continue the hard work that’s already been done.”

Around OR REGIONAL AND STATE NEWS SEN. JEFF MERKLEY INTRODUCES BILL TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES: Under Merkley’s new bill, there would be a 500% drop in the cost of medications like insulin. Americans currently pay about $1,200 more on prescription medication annually than anywhere else in the world. Merkley told KEZI “the only people in the United States of America who think drug prices aren’t too high are those getting rich from drug company profits.” – JANE GLAZER NO. 13 OREGON BASEBALL CONTINUES PAC-12 DOMINANCE: After defeating UCLA 3-2 in ten innings on Saturday, April 24, the Oregon baseball team improves to 24-8 on the season and 10-4 in conference play. The Ducks will look to sweep the Bruins on April 25 before another big series next weekend against Washington State in Pullman. Sam Novitske has led the way for the Ducks this past week with three hits, including a walkoff against UCLA. – DANIEL FRIIS

(Ian Enger/Emerald)

(Courtesy of Anna Mattson)

OREGON BOOK AWARDS: The annual event, presented by Literary Arts Inc., announced its finalists in late March. Based on the selections by a panel, 35 titles by writers from across the state will compete for an award in fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, drama and young readers' literature. The 2021 Oregon Book Awards Ceremony will announce their winners May 2 at 7 p.m. on an episode of Archive Project hosted by OPB. – MIA RYDER-MARKS

NEWS

THE BEES HAVE RETURNED TO THE EMU ROOF

David Flock, a beekeeper by hobby, pours the bees from the crate to their new hive. Manmade beehives have been placed on the University of Oregon campus for several years. Three bee colonies are moved from crates into three new hives on the rooftop of the EMU on April 23, 2021. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

After a brief break from their hives on the EMU roof, the bees have returned. BY KATHERINE WINELAND • TWITTER @KATWINELAND On April 23, a swarm of students and beekeepers gathered outside the South Loading Zone of the EMU to move three new colonies of bees from their crates into the three hives on the building’s roof. David Flock, a maintenance worker at the EMU, said EMU director Laurie Woodward approached him to ask about starting a hive on the EMU several years ago. Flock had been beekeeping for a decade and provided bees from local hives. Woodward approached Flock for help with setting up bee hives with educational purposes from the sustainability center, as well as the Bee Friendly Committee, a club. Students wanted to learn more about bees in a hands-on way, and Flock has the connections in the bee community as well as the experience. From the hives set up on the EMU roof as well as another hive set up at the Grove, students can learn more about beekeeping, honey production and bees in general. Flock, who is full of information about bees and natural honey production, explained that maintaining the stability of a hive is a tricky matter, and it comes down to factors that sometimes people cannot control: anything from a wasp attack to a hive swarming and moving away or a cold front can take out a hive. Flock usually jars up the natural honey and sells it, using that money to buy more hives for the EMU roof. Wearing beekeeping hoods and suits, the students move through the maintenance offices of the EMU and onto the roof. There, Flock pulls out the slats of the hive to remove bees that clumped together during the winter. Two volunteers carry three crates of bees and set them on top of the bee hives. Flock then begins moving the bees from the crates

to their new hives, a delicate process that depends on the queen bee adapting to the new hive, and the new hive adapting to her. If the queen bee does not adapt, then Flock can simply order a new queen bee and get it to the hive quickly via overnight shipping. When asked if there is an entire industry behind breeding queen bees, Flock simply said, “Oh, yeah!” The first step of moving the bees over to their new hive is taking out their food source, which is a can full of sugar-water. Then, in a process that allows for the hive to adapt to the pheromones of it’s new queen, Flock shoves a gummy bear into the opening of the queen's private, tiny box. This allows her to eat her way out of the box, and into her new hive, while the rest of the bees adapt to her pheromones. “Hives take the personality of their queen,” Flock said. Then, students get to move the general bee population into the new hives by forcing the bees out of the boxes and into the new hives. The bees begin to fly around, yet Flock reminds the rest of the group that this breed of bees — Apis mellifera ligustica — are chosen for their doscility and nonaggressive nature. Anna Brown, the pollinator outreach chair for the Bee Friendly Committee, finally got to see the bees firsthand when the hives were installed on the roof on April 23, but has been active with the community since 2020. Brown and Flock are both adamant that the EMU bees are for educational purposes and are not part of the “Save the Bee” movement, citing that while there

are threats to honeybee health right now, honeybees are not endangered. “Doing these hives on the roof is a really enriching experience,” Brown said. ”People can look at and handle bees and realize that they don’t have to be afraid when they see a bee.” Brown and Flock also insist that there are simple things that people can choose to do to help bee populations. Flock said to use natural pesticides like clove oil and cinnamon, as opposed to pesticides like neonicotinoids. To help bee populations, Brown said, plant a lot of flowers and make bee baths available.

(Maddie Knight/Emerald) M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

EMERALD

PA G E 3

A&C

WOMXN & FILM

BATTLING FOR BETTER REPRESENTATION

Members of the student club talk diversity, inclusion and the fight to have women be seen as “real filmmakers.” BY JOANNA GARCIA

Dedicated to increasing roles for women, non-binary and transgender people communities. in film, the UO Womxn and Film club centers around one common but significant Gersho said LGBTQ+ films often stress “coming out” as the main focal point of theme: positive representation of marginalized groups. It’s a mission that many of the film, rather than letting the characters live ordinary lives. “It’s telling only one the club’s members hope to carry into their future careers. part of their story,” and the fetishization of marginalized communities leads to “There’s nothing like the pain of seeing somebody that looks like you only to be misrepresentation and false perceptions of their identity, she said. displayed as a criminal with the same name that they use for every other Hispanic,” “The year is 2021,” Ramos said. “These groups didn’t appear yesterday or 20 years said Alexandra Ramos, Vice President of UO Womxn and Film and a third-year cinema ago, they’ve been a part of all of human history.” studies and advertising major. “But then there’s also something Members also mentioned notable classes at UO that have extremely comforting and exhilarating about seeing a superhero opened their eyes to various genres and films. “Comparative that looks like you and thinking, ‘Maybe I am worth something.’” World Cinema, where the chosen topic was mermaids, was Other members also highlighted the impact that definitely one of the best classes,” Reichardt said. “There’s representation has on marginalized groups. The club also the History of the Motion Picture three-part series, and allows them to teach others and themselves to avoid Cinema and Power which was specifically about the issues we reinforcing racial stereotypes and to center the voices of emphasize here.” underrepresented communities. Ramos said Exploitation Cinema showcased a new meaning The club holds educational activities such as rewriting to sex being displayed on screen. The class also covered other problematic scenes in television and film and holding important concepts such as identity and diversity that make trivia nights regarding ableism, infamous stereotypes and films meaningful to a broader audience. other significant topics. This educational and entertaining Nonetheless, there’s still much left out of the picture, Gersho approach has helped the club with the heavy task of bringing said. “It’s always White directors who tell these stories, but they representation into the film industry and creating films that need to get expertise from individuals who experienced these ALEXANDRA RAMOS are meant for everybody to see, Public Relations Coordinator stories,” she said. “You can’t tell a story that’s not your own unless Vice President of the UO Womxn In Film club Grace Reichardt said. you do it right and talk to those people.” President Emma Gersho, who joined as a first-year when Poor representation in film causes people to pick up on these UO Womxn and Film was established in 2018, said that the club has grown over the perceptions of their identity at a young age and alienate themselves, Reichardt years to become more inclusive. said. Having media become more inclusive would allow unheard individuals to feel “I wanted to get involved and find a community that I could be a part of without acknowledged and not internalize Eurocentric views. judgment, which the club provided for me. We’ve grown a lot since then, but our While the club continues to emphasize diversity and representation in film to mission statement has remained the same,” she said, referring to the significance of its audience, Ramos said how essential it is for the club’s peers to see the club and diversity and accurate portrayals of minority groups in film. women themselves as real filmmakers who will contribute to change in the industry. The club teaches members valuable skills such as pitching film ideas, camerawork “You don’t have to be a specific identity to join,” Ramos said. “There can never be and networking. However, members agreed that the industry itself has made too many people working against these issues.” minimal progress in allowing women to utilize these skills and shining a light The UO Womxn and Film club meets Tuesdays on even-numbered weeks at 7:30 on stories from and by the LGBTQ+ and Black, Indigenous and People of Color p.m. For more information, visit the club’s Instagram @uowomxnfilm.

“THE YEAR IS 2021. THESE GROUPS DIDN’T APPEAR YESTERDAY OR 20 YEARS AGO, THEY’VE BEEN A PART OF ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY.”

Emma Gersho is the president of the Womxn in Film club at the University of Oregon, which was founded in 2018. The Womxn In Film club discusses the representation of marginalized people in media and teaches their members how to express themselves through filmmaking. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

PA G E 4

EMERALD

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

Alexandra Ramos, a junior at the University of Oregon, is the vice president of the Womxn In Film club. The Womxn In Film club discusses the representation of marginalized people in media and teaches their members how to express themselves through filmmaking. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

Tthe Emerald Presents

FOOD FUMBLE HOTLINE PODCAST

Join Em Chan and Jamie Diep every other week as they answer your cooking questions and handle your kitchen mishaps on the Food Fumble Hotline. They believe food is best served hot and takes served even hotter. To ask a question, go to bit.ly/FoodFumble, email them at foodfumblehotline@gmail.com or find them on Twitter at @catchuptoemily and @jdiep2.

15 Largineg 5 Large 1 Single Topping Topp

Single

Mention this coupon to receive offer. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. Valid for walk-in or deliveries. Expires 6/30/21

IVERY FREE DEL rs over $10) (on orde

Order online TrackTownPizza.com | 1809 Franklin Blvd. | 541-284-8484

START RAISING THE BAR.

University

Health Services

Visit the Duck Nest Wellness Center in the EMU! and Remotely at https://health.uoregon.edu/ducknest

OUR SERVICES

Army Officers inspire strength in others. Make Army ROTC part of your college experience and be eligible for a full-tuition scholarship. Join the team that makes a difference.

To learn more, contact Darren McMahon at (541) 346-7682 or mcmahond@uoregon.edu To get started, visit goarmy.com/rotc/pb11

Primary Care Acupuncture Allergy/Asthma Birth Control Colds/Flu Dental Diabetes Management Energy Healing

Massage Therapy Medical Lab Tests Medical Records Meditation Nutrition Pharmacy Physical Therapy Psychiatry

Sexual Health Sports Medicine STI Screening Clinic Stress Management Tobacco Cessation Travel Clinic Vaccinations X-ray

health@uoregon.edu • 541-346-2770 EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity

M O N D AY, A MPARRICL H2 9 6, 2 0 2 0 1 || EEM MEERRA ALLDD || PA PAGGEE 55

COVER

GOV. NOMINATES 7 TO UO BOARD OF TRUSTEES The UO Board of Trustees oversees the school’s finances, management and sustainability. BY JOANNA MANN · TWITTER @JOANNA_MANN_ Oregon Gov. Kate Brown nominated seven new trustees for the University of Oregon Board of Trustees. Pending confirmation from the Oregon Senate in May, the seven nominees will begin their terms on July 1, 2021. The UO Board of Trustees is made up of 15 voluntary public officials who handle the school’s overall finances, management, oversight and sustainability. Every important decision regarding the university is the result of several conversations between the board and university leadership. Board Chair Chuck Lillis, who was first appointed in 2014, said he will remain on the board until the new members understand how the university operates well enough to be an effective trustee. While his current term expires in June 2021, he said this process usually takes about a year. “I will work at getting the trustees as exposed to the university as quickly as possible, which entails arranging meetings with the deans, provost and faculty, and then we have our regular business that we conduct all year round,” Lillis said. Board members usually meet four times a year, although they met more often over the past year due to the pandemic. The board has three committees — the Executive and Audit Committee, Academic and Student Affairs Committee and Finance and Facilities Committee. The Executive and Audit Committee handles the general management of the board, as well as audits, compliance and risk management. The Academic and Student Affairs Committee oversees matters related to the school’s teaching, research and public service programs, as well as anything concerning faculty, students and staff. The Finance and Facilities Committee considers issues such as budget, tuition and fees, investment and property. Marcia Aaron is one of the six current board members who will serve a full second term. She said she is looking forward to bonding with the new members

because it is necessary to understand one another in order to lead during a crisis. “For a board to be effective, you need to have those strong relationships so that you're willing to push and have those conversations that need to be had,” Aaron said. “It's an interesting line that you want to have between strong relationships, diverse opinions and ability to push and pull.” UO sophomore Julia Lo is the nominee for the student seat of the board, meaning she will be the voice of the student body so board members can better understand student needs and opinions on big issues. If confirmed, she said she will be able to work this role into every aspect of her life by using each conversation with students and faculty to better understand their feelings about UO. “This seat encompasses every single thing that I want to do within one position,” Lo said. “My goal and hope is that with every action or vote that I make on the board, I want it to be said to promote racial and social equality on our campus in order to create a space where all students feel they have a voice.” Vice Chair Ginerva Ralph, staff trustee Jimmy Murray, Connie Seeley, Ross Kari, Elisa Hornecker and Marcia Aaron will all be serving a full second term. The trustees leaving the board are Peter Bragdon, Andrew Colas, Allyn Ford, Joe Gonyea, Mary Wilcox, student seat Katharine Wishnia and faculty seat Laura Lee McIntyre. Lillis said if there’s one thing he wants to continue before he leaves the board, it’s the powerful working relationship between the university leadership and the board that comes from clear communication. “It was more work than I anticipated, but I think if you really like the university, or love it as I do, it's work that is just worth doing,” Lillis said. “I'm such a strong proponent of very high quality public university education, that even when we're working lots of hours, it's easy to do the work.”

(Photos courtesy of Angela Willelms)

PA G E 6

RENEE EVANS JACKMAN

TOYA FICK

Jackman is the Grants Management Officer at the Washington, D.C., Department of Behavioral Health. Originally from Portland, she received a degree in sociology from UO and was the first African American woman to serve as Board President on the UO Alumni Association Board of Directors. For 15 years she was a leader in grants and program management with the District of Columbia Government, and she spent eight years at the DC State Education Office.

Fick is the Oregon executive director with Stand for Children, a nonprofit whose mission is to ensure students graduate from high school with access to higher education. She is the Board Chair of the board of trustees with the Meyer Memorial Trust Foundation and has deep experience in racial equity policy and public service. Previously she held positions at Oregon Health & Science University and the Alliance for Excellent Education in Washington, D.C.

EMERALD

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

COVER

TIM BOYLE Boyle is the CEO and president of Columbia Sportswear Company. He graduated from the UO School of Journalism and Communication and has served on the board of the UO Foundation, Journalism Advancement Council and UO Portland Council. He co-chaired the Oregon Campaign Leadership Committee and has been inducted into the SOJC’s Hall of Achievement. He also received the UO’s Oregon Business Hall of Fame award in 2008.

DENNIS WORDEN

STEVE HOLWERDA

Worden is the Director of Global Regulatory Monitoring and Enforcement for Walmart. He graduated from UO in 2006 with a B.A. in geography. He is a member of the Coeur D’Alene tribe and served as the Legislative Director for the Native American Contractors Association and the Legislative Assistant for the National Indian Health Board. In 2010 he was recognized with the UO Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumni award.

Holwerda is the Managing Director of Ferguson Wellman and is a portfolio director with clients in Portland, Vancouver, Eugene and Medford. Prior to working at Ferguson Wellman, he was a regional director for the UO athletic department and a national director for the NCAA Volunteers for Youth. He received his B.S. in economics from South Dakota State University and his MBA from UO. He has served as president or chairman for the UO Foundation, Portland Business Alliance, Portland Golf Club and Boys and Girls Club of Portland.

My goal and hope is that with every action ot vote that I make on the board, I want it to be said to promote racial and social equality on our campus in order to create a space where all students feel they have a voice." Julia Lo Student Seat

JULIA LO

ED MADISON

Lo is a sophomore in the Clark Honors College majoring in biology and minoring in business. During her term she plans to address issues around mental health, finances and racial equity. She leads philanthropy for her sorority Delta Gamma and has worked at the Oregon Health & Science University as a researcher. In high school she formed Be Write Back, a program in which children of incarcerated parents can obtain free letter writing kits to write to their parents in prison.

Madison is an associate professor at the UO SOJC. He is a co-founder of the Journalistic Learning Initiative, a nonprofit that teaches journalistic practices to middle and high school students in underserved communities. He worked for 27 years in network television, film and commercial projects. He graduated from Emerson College in 1979 and received his Ph.D. in Communication and Society from UO in 2012.

Student Seat

Faculty Seat

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

EMERALD

PA G E 7

2021 | 9th ANNUAL Make an appointment today! 541.344.9411 | ppsworegon.org

Now offering door dash and Grub Hub LUNCH COVID-SAFE SPECIALS

Take out/ Delivery

Campus Location Temporarily Closed DINE IN NOW AVAILABLE

pegasuspizza.net 2 locations Oakway South Eugene

Coupon For

3 OFF

Large or Giant exp 4/30/2021

LIMITED Y T QUANTI LE! B A L I AVA

Do you know an exceptional student worthy of an award? Help celebrate the ninth annual 25 Ducks and nominate a deserving student. Taking nominations until Wednesday, April 28th.

ONLY $ 39.95

ORDER TODAY! at dailyemerald.com/haywardbook New coffee table book celebrates Hayward Field’s Legends and Legacy Wonderfully written • Image rich • 140 pages, hardcover

Sponsored by

For more information, call the Emerald at 541-346-5511, ext. 302, or email kcarbone@dailyemerald.com.

1395 University St. #302, Eugene, OR 97403 PA G E 8

EMERALD

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

M O N D AY, M A R C H 9 , 2 0 2 0

EMERALD

PA G E 9

OPINION

LET’S GET RID OF GREEK LIFE. JUST NOT HOW ALPHA SIGMA PHI DID IT. BY PARSA AGHEL • TWITTER @PARSALONA1 Alpha Sigma Phi, a fraternity at the University of Oregon, has decided to leave the university’s recongnition, allowing it to operate without university oversight. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

AGHEL: I GIVE CREDIT TO THEM; ALPHA SIGMA PHI FOUND THE ONE WAY TO MAKE ITS DEPARTURE FROM THE UNIVERSITY A BAD THING FOR EVERYONE.

Two weeks ago, I made the mistake of clicking on a fraternity member’s Instagram story. On a bold red screen they proclaimed their support for Alpha Sigma Phi’s decision to leave university recognition. For a brief moment, I was elated. I thought this meant the fraternity was shutting down operations. The elation, unfortunately, passed. I realized that leaving university recognition did not mean that the fraternity’s operations were over — in fact, they were just beginning. The University of Oregon sanctioned Alpha Sigma Phi over a gathering held months ago that violated COVID-19 regulations. Conveniently, the fraternity reasons that they had exactly ten people at the location — the then-county limit for gatherings. Even if we are to believe that suspicious rationale, we must consider the ramifications the university faces now that the fraternity is out. Essentially, a fraternity faces relatively meaningless negative consequences for leaving Greek life recognition at UO. Saul Hubbard, the university’s media and communications manager, wrote that Alpha Sigma Phi will lose the benefit of recruitment and leadership opportunities through the university and no longer has the privilege to pay the university a fee to exist. In the context of the fee, fraternity leadership are potentially incentivized to leave recognition — unless, of course, fraternity members are so moved by their sense of duty that they could not bear to lose such an opportunity. This phenomenon is not new; multiple universities across the nation are struggling with fraternities deciding they no longer need oversight. Just last February, seven fraternities disaffiliated with Duke’s Interfraternity Council. Their reasoning was comically similar to Alpha Sigma Phi’s in terms of pettiness; they were upset because Duke suspended rushing during the pandemic. A concerning common denominator throughout this nationwide movement is the national leadership of fraternities. Both at UO and Duke, the fraternities cite approval from their national affiliates, meaning that the highest levels of the Greek institution no longer espouse the importance of a relationship between university oversight and their local chapters. Consider what that means: National chapters of fraternities believe that, left to themselves, 18- to 22-year-old boys can self-regulate and locally hold each other accountable. I’m concerned. Right now, Alpha Sigma Phi has a slight setback in that they no longer get recruitment help. I believe it makes the frat more attractive to young boys who see a group that is outright rejecting university oversight. But what about the future? What if all the fraternities support each other and collaborate outside the Interfraternity Council? Then, it would be easy for all the fraternities to just leave recognition; they could simply work with each other and save money at the same time.

Of course, the university still oversees each individual student as long as they are enrolled, but fraternities claim that they plan to be transparent. Are they? I reached out to a few fraternities to see if they’d support Alpha Sigma Phi’s decision or even collaborate with them. Alpha Sigma Phi declined to interview. Sigma Nu left me on read. Sigma Chi did not respond. Phi Gamma Delta did not either. It is pretty blatant — fraternities are not interested in transparency. With this option on the table for fraternities, I fear that calls for ‘Greek life to have no place on campus’ may be realized and lead to an entirely new problem. Considering that frat life is already rampant with unregulated alcohol abuse, hazing, sexual assault and more even under the jurisdiction of the university, I fear a system where even that tiny slap on the wrist does not exist either. This must not be misinterpreted as a rejection of a space for social gathering and fun on campus. Rather, it is a warning that Greek life, which monopolizes that space despite all of its systemic and cemented flaws, has discovered a path to function with even less control. So what can the university do right now? They can follow the lead of West Virginia University. In 2018, five fraternities announced their intent to dissociate from the university. Immediately, the university banned them from campus for at least 10 years — the university refused to give in to the pressure fraternities had from their national chapters as the WVU President E. Gordon Gee dissented dissented that “national chapters are more concerned about dollars than students’ lives.” Indeed, concealed under the palatable proposition to have less university regulation, national chapters have created strong incentives for other fraternities to continue this trend. UO should follow WVU’s lead with strict bans. Even if UO lacks the backbone to protect students, abolish Greek life and work with students to create a better system, it should at the very least nip in the bud this potential trend of leaving recognition. The university already barely has a grip on these socially charged groups — to lose what little power it has to enforce its already permissive regulations on Greek life could be disastrous or even fatal.

Parsa Aghel is a columnist at the Emerald’s opinion desk. He brings a critical lens to power structures and is an advocate for human rights. Follow his Twitter @parsalona1

M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

EMERALD

PA G E 9

OPINION

HOT OR NOT? From the Emerald Opinion Desk

JUST WATCH “MADE FOR LOVE” “Made for Love,” one of HBO’s newest shows, is amazing in every way. It tackles love, hate and the idea of freedom with humor and a little bit of violence. (It is HBO after all). Add it to your TV show bucket list. - Jael Calloway

OLIVIA RODRIGO The relatable heartbreak ballad “drivers license” and the eerie indie-pop track “deja vu” have proven Rodrigo’s talent. Her debut album, “SOUR,” drops May 21. Let’s listen, drive through the suburbs and get in our feels. - Elizabeth Groening

DIY SHOES ARE NOT THE BEST “Tear away” Air Force 1s come with new spring colors. They’re cute but not quite worth $200. It’s hard to tear the fabric, and thread ends tend to show. You decide if the trend is worth the hassle. - Jael Calloway

SUPER-DUMB LEAGUE Several “Super League” clubs rightfully realized that the most popular sport in the world should care about its fans. But they signed binding contracts that could threaten the foundations of soccer. - Bazil Sterling

DEAR NIKE, STOP PRICE GOUGING Nike limiting the distribution of Kobe signature shoes led Vanessa Bryant to not renew the late legend’s sneaker contract. Frankly, shoe companies limiting stocks of shoes so beloved by many to drive prices up is unforgivable. - Parsa Aghel

DISPOSE OF DISPOSABLE NICOTINE Brightly colored plastic sticks litter the streets of Eugene. As though the health risk of vaping wasn’t enough, disposable vapes also hurt the environment. It’s time for governments to ban disposable vape products. - Andy Stevens

PA G E 1 0

EMERALD

M O N D AY, A M PARRICLH2 96 ,, 22 0 0 22 0 1

SPORTS

A HISTORIC WEEKEND IN HAYWARD BY DANIEL VIGIL

The Oregon track and field team hosted the Oregon Relays over the weekend, featuring two days of events. The meet also welcomed the USATF Grand Prix as part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold, marking its first meet of 2021. With notable pros such as Oregon’s

Ryan Tennant from the University of Oregon competes in the Men’s Long Jump. The Oregon Ducks host the Oregon Relays for track and field at the newly renovated Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., April 23, 2021. (Madi Mather/Emerald)

own Raevyn Rogers coming back to Hayward Field, this was the first professional event hosted in Eugene since the 2018 Prefontaine Classic almost three years ago, and the first in the newly renovated stadium. Day one was historic for the Ducks as they opened up the Oregon Relays with five wins. Kiana Phelps took the first event of the opening day of the relays with a season-best toss of 54.53m to win the women’s discus for Oregon. Jaida Ross finished second for Oregon with a personal best of 48.66m. Oregon’s Will Mundy claimed the second victory of the day for the Ducks, setting a personal best time of 52.30, to win the 400-meter hurdles. Phelps and Ross continued to dominate in the field events finishing 1-2 in the shot-put event. Ross moved up to No. 5 all time on the UO top-10 list with a personal best of 15.91m. Her victory secured Oregon’s third win of the day. Phelps was right behind with a 14.73m put. Finally it was Oregon’s Carmela Cardama Baez and Cole Hocker that capped off the first day with wins in the men and women’s 5000-meter. Cardama Baez finished with a personal best time of 15:36.41. Hocker and Cooper Teare dominated finishing 1-2 in the last event of day one. Hocker ran an Oregon Relays meet record time of 13:19.98. His record moved him up to No. 4 on the Oregon all-time 5000-meter list passing Alberto Salazar and the legendary Steve Prefontaine. Teare secured the second spot with a personal best of 13:20.24, moving him to No. 5, right behind his teammate. The 5000-meter invitational ended the first day of the Oregon Relays. Day two brought in the rest of the running and field events and also welcomed the USATF Grand Prix, where a dozen former Ducks made their return to Hayward Field, this time as pros. Day two kicked off with another Oregon win, this time, in the men’s high jump. Ben Milligan cleared 2.14 meters for the victory. Oregon gained another victory in the men’s 100-meter as Maxwell Shannon took the top spot with a time

of 10:88. Three of Oregon’s own competed with the pros. Junior Kemba Nelson ran her season best with a time of 11.08 to win heat two of the Women’s 100-meter prelims. "Today was crazy because a few months ago I didn't see myself here," Nelson said. "So the experience was a lot to take in. At first, I was, 'I don't think I can do it.' But then I put all that aside because I had nothing to lose, so I gained a lot to see how this feels going into the Olympic Trials back home. It was a very good experience." Junior Charlie Hunter competed in the men’s 800-meter for USATF with a chance to qualify for the Australian Olympic team. He finished with a time of 1:47.21, good for third place. He is also the seventh UO man this season to finish under 1:50. During the Grand Prix, Oregon’s Luis Peralta and Matt Wisner finished 1-2 in the men’s 800-meter college invitational with times of 1:49.25 and 1:49.44. Lastly, junior Emily Sloan competed in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, finishing seventh with a time of 13.22. Pro and former Duck, Demarcus Simpson put up a season best in the men’s long jump, landing at 7.71 meters. Sam Prakel, another pro Duck, finished fourth in the men’s 1500-meter race. Raevyn Rogers also made her return back to Hayward Field for the first time since it was renovated to compete in the women’s

800-meter race. She finished third in Saturday’s event with a time of 2:03.89. "It was great," Rogers said. "The track is definitely great quality, of course. Even doing some practice runs for our pre-meet, I could just feel how bouncy it was." Historic moments happened throughout the weekend in Hayward. One was Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s performance in the women’s 400-meter which earned her the world record with a time of 49.08. The relays ended with the men’s 400-meter run and the women’s shot put to conclude the weekend. Although the only people in attendance were teams, media, family and friends, the energy was noticeable throughout the weekend, with volleys of cheers coming from the stands. The relays offered a sneak peek of what is to come once Hayward is open to the public in the future. Hayward Field will host again Friday, May 7, as part of the Oregon Twilight event.

Tiana Bartoletta salutes the crowd as completing a victory lap after placing first in the Women’s Long Jump. The Oregon Ducks host the Oregon Relays for track and field at the newly renovated Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., April 23, 2021. (Madi Mather/Emerald) M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 2 1

EMERALD

PA G E 1 1

24 can Duck Cooler

SUMMER FUN BUNDLE ONE OF SEVERAL PRIZES

2 0 2 1

E D I T I O N

31’ Slip & Slide

SHOW US YOUR BEST CAMPUS! In person Best of Campus Event

Thursday, April 29th 11am-3pm | EMU GREEN UO ID, social distancing and masks required

SCAN TO PRE

PA G E 1 2

EMERALD

M O N D AY, A M PARRICLH2 96 ,, 22 0 0 22 0 1