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MAY 17, 2021

Monday Edition

Emerald Media

THOMAS TYNER

FROM TOP TIER RUNNING BACK TO IMPACTFUL OUTDOORSMAN

Since leaving the football spotlight, Thomas Tyner has found new passion, positively impacting his community in the process.

NEWS

QUARANTINE FUND APPLICATION PG 2

A&C FREESTYLE FRIDAYS PROVIDES SAFE SPACE PG 6

OPINION

JOSH CASEVICH CHAUVIN AND PRISON ABOLITION PG 13 REACHES SUCCESS PG 15 M O N D AY, M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1

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NEWS

Around OR VOL. 122, ISSUE NO. 52

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ON THE COVER

(Courtesy of Thomas Tyner)

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FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

Jordan McMinn

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Over 6,000 University of Oregon students have received financial aid through the program, and more than $6 million of these funds out of about $8 million has been dispersed.

BY REINA HARWOOD TWITTER @REINAHARWOOD After seeing his family over spring break, Noah Holmes, a senior at the University of Oregon, was exposed to COVID-19 — along with his roommates. Two weeks after applying for the University of Oregon’s Quarantine Fund, Holmes said he received around $350 in April and became one of more than 6,000 students with financial assistance from the program. Extra costs from Amazon Fresh Grocery deliveries, Postmates and cleaning supplies piled up, so Holmes said he was grateful to have a resource that helped him save money. “Over those two weeks, I bought groceries, did other things, and I feel like those funds really went back into my bank account,” he said. UO released its COVID-19 Quarantine Fund Application on March 26. The Quarantine Fund is available to all UO studentsaccumulating quarantine-related expenses, including hotel rooms, Airbnbs and food delivery services, until early June. The university received an additional $8,047,973 last December through the CARES Act under the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The federal government signed the act into law last year, allocating nearly $82 billion to schools

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across the country in support of education, according to the U.S. Department of Education. This month, 2,916 awards totaling around $2 million of just the Quarantine Fund have been given out to students, said UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard. Meanwhile, the university recorded over 6,000 students who received financial aid; it has dispersed over $6 million of these funds, according to the UO Financial Aid and Scholarship page. Because financial aid is limited to which funds are available, the university has encouraged students experiencing COVID-19 and isolation to apply before the deadline on June 11, 2021. Holmes said he felt lucky to have quarantined at home in Eugene because it saved him from spending hundreds of dollars on a hotel room. At the bottom of the Quarantine Fund application, it requires students to upload proof of receipts and documents showing living expenditures, according to Holmes. Though it’s been a useful financial resource for Holmes, he believes not all students are aware of the Quarantine Fund. “I heard about it through word-of-mouth,” he said. Holmes said that the first thing he would tell his friends is to look for the Quarantine Fund to cover what they spend on groceries during the pandemic. “I don't think a lot of people know about it, so that's why I was the one telling a lot of people, ‘I used this and you should use it too,’” he said. UO’s Financial Aid and Scholarship website offers a Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act Grant, which automatically allocates $500 to $900 to students who are eligible based on their FAFSA this spring. The university recommends that students also fill out the FAFSA application for the CARES Act Grant application and other financial aid opportunities.

OREGON BUSINESSES WILL LIKELY CHECK VACCINATION CARDS FOR MASKLESS CUSTOMERS: Mask mandates in Oregon and across the U.S. were lifted for all fully vaccinated people on May 14, with a few exceptions. But Oregon Health Authority officials told The Oregonian that businesses wanting to allow maskless shopping or dining will likely be required to inspect individuals’ vaccination card and the dates of their shots. OHA and the governor’s office said more guidelines will be released in the coming days. – JACK FORREST NO. 11 OREGON SOFTBALL COMPLETES REGULAR SEASON: After defeating Cal 3-1 on Saturday, the Ducks completed their regular season with a fourgame sweep. They finish with an overall record of 37-15 and 14-10 in Pac-12 play. The win also scoots them ahead of Arizona and Arizona State for third place in the conference. They’ll now wait on an official seeding from the NCAA for the 2021 national tournament. – MOJO HILL

(Kevin Wang/Emerald)

‘MEN ARE FROM MARS, WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS’: The hit Broadway comedy is coming to Eugene. The theaterstandup hybrid promises to be a great time for couples, with a focus on relationships and love from a comedic standpoint. Based on the best-selling book from John Gray, the play hopes to help couples shine a little light on understanding their partner. Tickets are on sale now at the Hult Center, and the play will premiere May 22. – SAM ANTHONY

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NEWS

UO HOUSING RECRUITING STAFF FOR NEW PACIFIC NORTHWEST MARKET After reducing staff by roughly 50% during the pandemic, University Housing is hoping to be back at full staffing capacity by September. BY ERYN McGUIRE • TWITTER @ERYNMCGUIRE_

(Courtesy of UO Communications)

The dining complex located inside the University of Oregon’s new residence hall is set to open Sept. 20 as part of the Hamilton-Walton Transformation Project currently under construction. UO designed the Pacific Northwest Public Market to seat 500 people, featuring nine new venues, including a full-service sit down restaurant, and housing is planning on bringing more employees on board. University dining services is holding hiring fairs to fill student positions on May 21 and 22 in the Global Scholars Great Room. Students can also apply online in an application that reaches all dining venues on campus. “In a typical year, campus dining employs over 700 student employees,” Director of Dining Services Tom Driscoll said. “As we move beyond COVID-19, we are planning to get back to this level.” The Pacific Northwest Public Market will be home to nine locally and globally inspired venues. The venues will serve PNW-influenced ramen and bao, classic Indian cuisine, hearth-baked pizza and more. The complex will also hold a grab-and-go style grocery store, deli and cafe, similar to some of the existing dining halls. Duck’s House, an Oregon sports-themed venue PA G E 4

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inside the complex, will be a full-service restaurant serving classic American food along with beer, wine and ciders. While this venue is logistically different from the usual counter-service ones, they’ll accept points and DuckBucks as well as credit and debit cards. “Logistically, the customer experience will be different than typical counter service in that customers won’t come to a counter to order,” Driscoll said. “Instead, they can order at the table and food will be delivered to the table.” Since the start of the pandemic, UO has needed to lay off staff members; some chose not to return to campus for safety reasons. This brings University Dining Services to about 50% of pre-COVID-19 staffing levels. “We are anticipating an amazing fall term and we are gearing up to be back at full staffing capacity by September,” Driscoll said. UO junior Elizabeth Alvarrez worked at Fresh Marketcafé located inside Global Scholars Hall before the pandemic began. In the fall, she’ll return to campus and is applying for a student dining position again, hoping to be placed in the Pacific Northwest Public Market. “Working on campus is pretty chill because a lot of

your co-workers are other students and management is good about working with your class schedule,” she said. “The new location looks like it's going to have a lot of cool spots.” Staff for the new dining complex will begin training in August, Driscoll said. Training will be mostly in person and hands on, allowing student employees to learn the ropes of everything from culinary arts to customer service. Housing will also have a number of classified positions posted soon, including cooks, lead staff, bakers and management positions. Classified employees can work full-time, while students are only able to work up to 25 hours each week. Students must be enrolled in 8 credit hours to be considered a student employee. Non-UO students, including Lane County Community College and eligible high school students, can work in the dining halls under these terms as well, but priority is given to UO students. Housing management has been reaching out to current student employees about work opportunities during the summer, hoping to fill some positions in the new complex, but all students who are interested in on-campus jobs are encouraged to apply online or attend the job fairs later this month.

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AlumnI TAKE FLIGHT

UO Alumni share career lessons they’ve learned

Merryn Roberts-Huntley Job Title: Faculty member at UO Sports Product Management, Career Coach Major: MBA Graduate Graduated: 2006

Merryn Roberts-Huntley is a 2006 MBA graduate, and a faculty member in the UO Sports Product Management program at the Portland campus. Outside of teaching for UO, Merryn is the owner of Made To Hire, a career coaching company she began in 2017. Additionally, she will be competing in the Mrs. Oregon America Pageant this July. If she wins, she’ll go on to compete at Mrs. America. Since no single curriculum provides everything necessary to be effective in your first occupation, in what ways can students teach themselves to be competitive? Getting hired is an accomplishment, but then how do you stand out once you get the job? I dedicated an entire chapter in my book, Made To Hire, on the topic of how to be successful once you’re hired. Four quick pieces of advice here: 1) Support your company’s goals and especially your boss’ goals – be clear on what those are. 2) Be sure you over-deliver. You have the job description so make sure you’re meeting those requirements, but whenever possible, make yourself available for more. If you’re busting through work, let your boss know you’re ready to take on more. 3) Your mindset matters a great deal when it comes to being successful once you’re hired. Be the type of person who brings solutions rather than problems. Managers are used to employees coming to them with problems so challenge yourself to bring solutions not problems to your boss. 4) One final thing, and I can’t stress this enough, is that if you want to stand out, you need to speak up. I work on this with my students because when I was in undergrad I was so nervous about being called on, so I know how that feels. It’s definitely hard but taking baby steps towards letting your voice be heard will go a long way. Read the full interview at uoalumni.com/careerprofiles

Amenities are subject to change. See office for details.

Alumni Spotlight is a collaboration between UOAA and Emerald Media Group. M O N D AY, M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1

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A&C

FREESTYLE FRIDAYS PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR UO STUDENTS BY JOANNA GARCIA (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Passionate about supporting college students, especially students of color, program advisor Jamar Bean started a program to give them a non-judgemental space to talk openly about whatever is on their minds. A year into remote learning, the stress of a pandemic and balancing academic and personal life has taken a toll on college students. Earlier this February, the UO Multicultural Center established a new program to help combat this — Freestyle Fridays. Run by director and program advisor Jamar Bean, Freestyle Fridays is an hour-long hangout space that provides a safe and non-judgmental zone for students to chat freely about anything that's on their minds. "I want to give students a space for them to get something off their chest if it's frustrating them," Bean said. "You know, not just with school but just anything in life." The name of the program takes inspiration from a popular segment called "Freestyle Friday" from the BET show "106 & Park." With Bean's admiration for the segment and his love of music, he decided to name the program after the show. "Everybody was super hyped on Fridays because they knew that it was gonna be fun," he said, referring to the segment. "That's what I wanted Freestyle Fridays to be. A fun and exciting space for students to come and share to talk about music, school, jobs, whatever they want to. Students go through a lot." Bean has taken on many leadership roles providing support for students throughout his career, having worked at both Oregon State University and UO. "I have a passion, desire and a love for supporting students and being that person for them," he said. "I think it's a gift that God has given me and it's just something that's naturally built into me." Attending OSU as a Black student, it was difficult for Bean to find other people who looked like him that were in leadership positions and could provide him resources to navigate college, he said. This inspired him to give students, especially students of color, the help that he had needed while in college. "Students of color have a very unique experience on predominantly White campuses and a lot of the times PA G E 6

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fall through the cracks or don't get the support that they really need," he said. "I want to be in a position where I can point students in the right direction or help them find someone who may have the answers for them." Since Bean began advising the program, many students have come to Freestyle Fridays for advice. "A student came and expressed frustration about being tokenized in a classroom," he said. They felt that they had to always speak on behalf of their community and that the staff member they were interacting with wasn't equipped to have difficult conversations. Bean helped the student by sharing his own experiences on how he dealt with these situations as a student of color. He also reassured them that the school is taking steps in preventing similar experiences from happening in the future. Others have come for casual and fun conversations. “One student came and wanted me to grade his Spotify playlist, and it was actually really good," he said, laughing. The format of the program is to have open conversations without an agenda, Bean said. "What I didn't want to do was create another Zoom meeting and feel like you're being talked at," he said. This format allows students to feel more welcomed and comfortable to chat about anything. It also helps participants discuss topics that they normally wouldn't touch on in academic environments. "The limits of what the program can be are endless," he said. "That's what's exciting about it. It can morph into so many things." For instance, although the program does not actually incorporate rapping, Bean said that could change in the future. "Who knows, maybe one day we will hold freestyle rap battles,” he said. “That'd be really cool." At the end of the day, the program is here to help students become successful, Bean said. He hopes that it will help establish trust between students and

faculty as well. "Freestyle Fridays is meant to connect with you, support you and help you be successful," he said. "I want you to leave feeling that you have tools to be better, or motivated to do something that you're fearful of doing. I want you to feel encouraged, worthy and important in whatever way that may be for you." Freestyle Fridays happen on selected Fridays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m via Zoom. For more information, visit the UO Multicultural Center's Instagram page, @uoregonmcc.

(Courtesy of Jamar Bean)

A&C Lidija Sovulj, an artist majoring in Biological Anthropology, poses on the University of Oregon campus. Lidija Sovulj is an artist and student at the University of Oregon. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

“To turn artwork into a loving act of resistance, quite frankly, is really important.” important .”

ART AS A ‘LOVING ACT OF RESISTANCE’

LIDIJA SOVULJ

For UO junior Lidija Sovulj, art is both a place to express her emotions and a space to heal. BY NIKA BARTOO-SMITH • TWITTER @BARTOONIKA UO junior Lidija Sovulj started painting as soon as she could hold a crayon. Creating art made her feel “like I could express myself and see the world in a different way, whether it was lighter and funnier or darker and more emotive,” she said. Art has always been a way for Sovulj to process her emotions and struggle through her identity. She remembers using a yellow marker to color in a person because there were not accurate colors to depict skin tones. “Art is always a way for me to process,” Sovulj said. “My family is Vietnamese and Croatian, and so identity has always been a huge struggle for me. My artwork has always been a place where I can work on that and work on myself in a really free and open environment.” The first time Sovulj remembers experiencing racism, she was 5 years old. Sovulj brought a bento box to school for lunch, filled with fried rice that was seasoned with fish sauce. Other students made fun of her because of what she was eating and how it smelled, Sovulj said. When Sovulj started high school, her family moved to Astoria, Oregon. About 90% of Astoria’s population is White, according to 2019 U.S. Census data. Sovulj experienced a lot of racism and colorism while living in Astoria and here in Eugene. “I have never felt truly stable or safe within my identity as someone who is biracial,” Sovulj said. “[Art] has always helped me understand myself more.” Social justice themes are clear in Sovulj’s work. It can be difficult to find positive representation of both Asian and mixed people in the mainstream media, Sovulj said. Her goal is to help people feel seen, loved and heard in her work. “Especially in Eugene,

there’s a lot of White creatives. And it’s exhausting,” Sovulj said. “Art is a really great way to communicate what’s going on in the world, and the injustices in the world.” Sovulj mostly depicts people in her artwork. She uses acrylics and oils, painting portraits using bright colors. One of her pieces is a painting of a woman, the bottom half of her face large in comparison to the top. Her lips are big and pink, her hair is blue and her skin is a mixture of green, blue and yellow. She has eyelashes, but instead of eyes, just empty white sockets. On her head sits a line drawing of a figure holding a bong with the words “Alone with my thoughts” floating behind its head. “I really love painting people and trying to process their emotions,” Sovulj said. “There are so many amazing, beautiful stories you can tell with faces and emotions.” In the spring of 2020, Sovulj started her own t-shirt company called Lidija’s Love Shack. “I started making shirts with the idea of purely to make people happy and

give them something that resembles a hug on their back at all times,” Sovulj wrote in an Instagram post. Currently, she offers one shirt design in a variety of colors. The image is four faces, all with different expressions and head shapes. Sovulj also advertises that she is open for commissions. “I would love to further make clothing. And honestly not even for the money aspect,” Sovulj said. “I realize that money is royally just fucked up.” Sovulj uses art to communicate about the injustices within our society. It has helped her to recognize the value in her own culture as well. “There’s a lot of shit that goes on in our cultures that is reflected in artwork that is very exclusionary, very violent,” Sovulj said. “So to turn artwork into a loving act of resistance, quite frankly, is really important.” She uses art as a “loving act of resistance” by painting images of people that are often left out of the mainstream media. She also gives her artwork away, physically putting energy, time and love into the process. One of her favorite things is to ask people what their favorite color is and then create a piece of art centered around that particular color.

In Sovulj’s experience, art is a necessary form of resistance and healing because of the racism and injustices she has faced in her life. For her, the racism at UO is much more covert compared to her experiences in Astoria, showing up through microaggressions and appropriation. Sovulj is both a biological anthropology and a sociology major. A lot of her classes perpetuate the racism and fetishization of Asian and mixed people, Sovulj said. She went on to say that she has avoided taking Asian American literature classes because they are mostly taught by White women. “And that’s just going to be one hell of a time learning about my culture and my people from another White person,” Sovulj said. “And that sadly has also been what it has been so far.” Painting is a tool Sovulj uses to help her process her thoughts and emotions. It is a way for her to express her anger, but also a safe place to help her heal, Sovulj said. Her goal is to continue to create clothing and commissions for other people and to eventually paint murals.

(Courtesy of Lidija Sovulj)

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PEACE AND QUIET

TYNER’S NEW NONPROFIT, HUNTERS OF COLOR, WAN TO BIPOC COMMUNITIES. BY DYLAN CONWAY

Scanning the desert-like landscape of Jantura Riverside in eastern Oregon, former Oregon running back Thomas Tyner searched for chukar birds and pheasants to shoot with his borrowed shotgun. Tyner was on his first of many hunting trips in the Oregon wilderness. Tyner’s superior hand-eye coordination helped him catch on quickly. After killing his first chukar and pheasant on the trip six or seven years ago, Tyner fell in love with all aspects of hunting: the bird dogs, the serenity of the outdoors and the physical fitness required to be successful in the sport. This trip, which introduced him to hunting while he was still playing college football, changed Tyner’s life. Hunting not only gave him a break from the distracting noise and media storm that comes with playing football at the Division I level, but it also introduced him to a newfound passion. “I was already dealing with so much stress, all the politics that goes on with being who I was and with football in general it was just like, I kind of found this way out in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, doing stuff like that,” Tyner said. “It was a way for me to make peace with everything.” Hunting has paved the way for Tyner to make a difference in the communities around him, as he recently launched an organization targeted at increasing the involvement of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in the sport.

challenges he was facing, and I knew that it was time to get away and spend some time together,” Barnhart said. After the trip to Jantura Riverside, Tyner quickly became obsessed with the art of hunting. He expanded quickly, picking up bigger game hunting such as elk and deer as well as trying out bow hunts. Building relationships In a new environment, Tyner made important connections. Despite his displeasure with aspects of the collegiate athletics experience, Tyner came out of retirement a year later, this time opting to play at a new school: Oregon State. While in Corvallis, he continued to use hunting as an outlet and positive distraction. While at OSU, Tyner met Lydia Parker and Jimmy Flatt, who remain close friends of his today. Tyner met Parker at the Peacock Bar & Grill. After discovering Tyner was into hunting, she connected him with Flatt who also enjoyed the outdoors. The two bonded over hunting trips, becoming closer friends all the while.

The football days Tyner made a name for himself playing football. He was heavily recruited, ranking No. 20 in the nation as a senior at Aloha High School in Beaverton, Oregon. He was a star on the football field. “I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else,” Tyner said about going to Aloha all four years of high school. However, away from the Friday night lights, the attention as a five-star recruit served more as a distraction. “It's kind of hard to focus on school when you're getting so much attention,” Tyner said. Getting pulled out of class to talk with college coaches was a normal occurrence during his sophomore year. Knowing he didn’t want to go far for college, Tyner committed to the University of Oregon later that year. “Honestly, I’d probably have had an offer from every big D1 school in the country,” Tyner said about committing early to UO. “I had my heart pretty set on staying close to home.” At Oregon, Tyner found early success, rushing for 1,284 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns in two seasons. During his sophomore year in 2014, the team won the Rose Bowl and reached the National Championship game. After the National Championship, he got an MRI on his shoulder and found out he had a torn labrum with a bone chip moving around. He elected to have surgery, as his doctor suggested. At that moment, Tyner began to question his future in football. With injuries adding up over the years and the stress of being a high profile college athlete, Tyner wasn’t sure he harbored that same passion any longer. Tyner ultimately decided to medically retire from football his junior year. The outdoors Tyner was introduced to hunting by his self-described father figure Jeff Barnhart while at Oregon. Tyner grew up participating in sports camps with Barnhart's son, Cameron. The two were third graders at the time, and Tyner would join the Barnharts on their family trips in the summer. “He became kind of like a second son to me,” Barnhart said of Tyner. Barnhart’s passions in life have always been bird hunting and fishing. He would frequently take family or friends on hunts with him to introduce them to the sport, and he decided it was Tyner’s turn to experience it. “I specifically went and picked Thomas up because I sensed there were some (Courtesy of Thomas Tyner)

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COVER

NTS TO BRING THE SPORT

“It was a way for me to make peace with everything.” THOMAS TYNER

Often, Flatt and Tyner were the only People of Color they’d see out in the woods. Flatt noticed the problem and talked to Tyner and Parker about making a difference in the hunting sphere. The mission of diversifying hunting was pushed into motion after Flatt came across a 2019 article entitled “Is Hunting Too White?” In reading it, he discovered that 96% of all hunting licenses in the U.S were owned by White people and decided that it was time to make a difference. “I already had the idea, I just didn’t know the statistics,” program coordinator Flatt said. “Growing up hunting I always realized that I’m the only Brown face out here. Why is that?” The lack of diversity in the hunting community wasn’t a surprise to the trio, but seeing the statistics confirmed their observations that the demographics of the sport didn’t accurately match the demographics of the United States. “It started off as an idea trying to get inner city youth or kids out hunting who would never have the opportunity to go hunting, but then we realized that it's more than just youth that need it,” Flatt said. “There are a lot of adults that need help getting into hunting who didn’t have their dad or grandpa to teach them how to hunt.” Making a difference Tyner wants to change the hunting community for the better. After steaming over ideas for a year, the three started a nonprofit organization called Hunters of Color in August 2020. Tyner describes the organization's efforts as trying to get more BIPOC into hunting and the outdoors in general. Parker expressed that the organization wants to see the hunting demographics reflect the diverse demographic of the U.S. To achieve this, Hunters of Color wants to see at least a 10% change in the demographics of hunting when the next study comes out in 2024 and a 5% change every five years after that. Parker kickstarted the idea into action, buying a website domain and creating social media pages. From there, the three quickly grew the organization, gaining 8,000 Instagram followers since last August and getting IRS nonprofit approval in April 2021. Hunters of Color plans to establish a network of hunters throughout the country, acting as mentors for People of Color interested in hunting. People can sign up as mentors and mentees on the Hunters of Color website. The mentee program is open to BIPOC of all ages. The organization also plans to sponsor new hunters' mentorship programs, safety courses and equipment. They’ll raise money by hosting auctions and pursuing public donations. “The reason we are growing so quickly is because we are kind of situated in a unique position right now within hunting where the demographics of hunting have stayed the same for a while, so creating a place where People of Color can feel welcome in the community is extremely important,” Flatt said. For Hunters of Color, Tyner’s role is to be the media and marketing director. As a filmmaker, Tyner will promote hunting and the outdoors through cinematic films, sharing people's stories and experiences. He works a lot with the organization’s website as well, trying to encourage people to get involved. Now that the organization is IRS approved, Tyner hopes to go full time soon. “I think the cool thing about us is we say that in the long run, we don’t want to even exist, because the statistics as of now shouldn't be like that, and I look at it as a lot of people like me, People of Color, never really grew into the lifestyle and never have been really shown the way,” Tyner said.

(Courtesy of Thomas Tyner)

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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.

Campus Planning Committee & Public Hearing Notice Campus Planning Committee – Public Hearing Notice: The UO Campus Planning Committee will be holding public hearings to consider two amendments to the University of Oregon’s Campus Plan. The purpose of the first of the proposed amendments is to incorporate the university’s land southeast of the Jaqua Triangle Design Area into the Campus Plan to guide future campus development based on Campus Plan principles. This area, which contains the Matthew Knight Arena and Ford Alumni Center, is currently not incorporated into the Campus Plan because it was previously not within the official campus boundary. Please visit the project website at https://cpfm.uoregon.edu/campus-plan-amendment-new-designarea to learn more. The purpose of the second of the proposed amendments is to integrate the university’s Design Advisory Board (DAB) process into the Campus Plan based upon current practice. The public hearings will be the first and second agenda items at the Campus Planning Committee meeting on Friday, May 28, 2021, starting at 10:00am online via Zoom.

Please contact the Ofﬁce of Campus Planning at uplan@ uoregon.edu or 541-346-5024 for the Zoom meeting link and additional information.

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PHOTO

SPRING IS BLOOMING IN EUGENE BY CARSON COLVILLE, MADDIE STELLINGWERF AND MARISSA WILLKE

Orange poppies sit in full bloom around the University of Oregon campus. Eugene's diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Because of its bright purple color, the Oregon iris pops out amongst a sea of green. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Marissa Willke/Emerald)

Bright purple alstroemeriaceae flowers bloom on bushes around Eugene, Ore., on May 13, 2021. Alstroemeriaceae are flowering lily plants native to the Eugene area. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Carson Colville/Emerald)

A variety of Rhododendron bushes are located across campus, two of which exist outside Susan Campbell Hall. Eugene's diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Pink and white flowers bloom on flowering dogwood trees on the University of Oregon campus near the Lillis Business Complex on May 13, 2021. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Carson Colville/Emerald)

California poppies fill street medians on 15th and Ferry in Eugene, Ore., on May 13, 2021. These wildflowers are native to California, but can be found growing in neighboring states, including Oregon. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Carson Colville/Emerald)

Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Marissa Willke/Emerald)

Bushes outside the Knight Library are finally in bloom, providing a pop of color for students and faculty. Eugene's diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

The Oregon grape isn’t currently in bloom, but its unique fruit draws attention to it. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Marissa Willke/Emerald)

A range of native and nonnative flowers can be found at Hendricks Park in Eugene, Ore. Eugene’s diverse range of flora is in full bloom during spring term. (Marissa Willke/Emerald) M O N D AY, M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1

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OPINION

DON’T MARTYR DEREK CHAUVIN IN THE PRISON ABOLITION MOVEMENT Aghel: Since April 21, Derek Chauvin has been in solitary confinement, meaning a person who inhumanely murdered an innocent man is now subject to an inhumane punishment. How do we handle that conversation? BY PARSA AGHEL • TWITTER @PARSALONA1

"As an unwavering believer in abolishing solitary confinement alongside heavy prison defunding and reform, why did I pause when Chauvin was on the line?" A protest sits peacefully in the intersection of Patterson Street and 11th Avenue. A late-night Black Lives Matter protest marches through the streets of Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 28, 2020. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

When Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, it felt like accountability had been realized for the first time in a long time. I watched the coverage of celebrations in Minneapolis and the messages of vigilance. Accountability was delivered, but police brutality was far from being eradicated. The dialogue began shifting towards addressing systemic racism and Chauvin, quite symbolically, disappeared from it. After all, shortly after the jury announced its verdict, news broke that Chauvin would spend 23 hours a day in solitary confinement. At the time, I did not give much thought to it — my focus was on the larger conversation that had moved away from the case. When I read it, I felt no sympathy. For the last year, Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who had betrayed his duty to protect, had occupied a subhuman standing in my mind; it was the only way I thought about it following his sub-human murder of George Floyd. A couple of days passed, and I stumbled upon a conversation between two of my White peers. Ardent prison abolitionists, they could not come to terms with the fact that Chauvin was in solitary confinement. When they asked me what I thought, my first reaction was a long pause. To be clear, solitary confinement is inhumane torture. Painted in flowery words as “restricted housing population,” solitary confinement entails staying in one area to eat, sleep and use the toilet. Stimuli are usually completely removed — there are limited educational materials, no windows or communication with anyone else. Its effects are devastating. Approximately 35% of those in jail who spent 30 days or longer in solitary confinement were left with symptoms of serious psychological distress. These range from anxiety and stress all the way to hallucinations, paranoia and suicide. On the physical side, solitary confinement can lead to chronic headaches and eyesight deterioration or heart disease and diabetes. Overall, social isolation increases the likelihood of early death by 26%. That is the low end of the estimation. Hopefully by now you agree that solitary confinement is legalized torture. As an unwavering believer in abolishing solitary confinement alongside heavy prison defunding and reform, why did I pause when Chauvin was on the line? The pause, for a little, made me feel guilty. Nobody should be subject to solitary. Nobody, though, includes murderers like Chauvin. Did my lack of sympathy mean I was not upholding the ideology of abolishing solitary? My feeling of guilt changed when I read Bonnie Kristian’s piece, “The Derek Chauvin solitary confinement predicament.” A longtime opinion columnist for The Week, she used the news of Chauvin’s solitary sentence to suggest prison reform. I then looked through her work. Before Chauvin, she had never written about the inhumane conditions of solitary confinement. The dialogue stemmed from his sentencing. Why was she suddenly concerned with prison reform?

Only considering prison reform and solitary confinement when a notable White person falls victim to it is problematic. The carceral state and all its inhumane forms of treatment were designed to ensnare Black people. This holds true for solitary confinement. Studies have shown that, in dozens of prisons, Black men are disproportionately subject to solitary confinement compared to the portion of the prison population they constitute. In more than half of those jurisdictions, Juleyka Lantigua Williams, who distilled the study for The Atlantic, writes that “Latinos were overrepresented in relation to their general-population numbers” as well. I hope you’re not too shocked when I say that the study revealed that White people are underrepresented in the same prisons. Chauvin, despite low odds, has fallen victim to the worst facets of the prisonindustrial complex. But they were not designed for him. That is why I paused. When so many individuals, predominantly People of Color, are in the same situation as Chauvin for far less significant crimes — not to mention falsely convicted ones as well — it is hard to have a conversation about prison reform with a morally repugnant character like Chauvin at its center. I don’t feel guilt anymore. When conversations about prison reform only happen when a White man is the victim, we should reconsider the impetus of the dialogue. These conversations should take place, and Chauvin will benefit from the discussion of solitary confinement abolition. But to center him is to misunderstand the true victims of the carceral state. Pausing in the conversation with my friends about Chauvin is emblematic of a big moral grey area. What does one do when those who are inhumane to others are subject to a larger system of inhumane treatment? I am not sure. To pause, though, is to recognize the flaw of dialogue when Chauvin is the catalyst for prison reform conversations. The conversation can and should happen without focusing on him.

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

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FIND YOUR OWN HOME OVER 100 LISTINGS TO CHOOSE FROM. DAILYEMERALD.COM/DUCKSHOUSING

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SPORTS

AFTER A FRESHMAN SLUMP, JOSH KASEVICH

REACHES SOPHOMORE SUCCESS Oregon Ducks’ shortstop Kasevich used his offseason to strengthen his game to bounce back from his freshman slump and have an impressive sophomore season.

Ducks infielder Josh Kasevich (4) hits a Bruins pitch. Oregon Ducks baseball takes on UCLA Bruins at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on April 25, 2021. (Kevin Wang/Daily Emerald)

BY AARON HEISEN • TWITTER @AARON_HEISEN Josh Kasevich and the Oregon Ducks baseball team returned home on March 9, 2020, after finishing off a three-game series against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors with a 13-2 win. Kasevich and his teammates soaked in the sweet victory and began to prepare for a series with the No. 4 UCLA Bruins. That series never happened. The Ducks’ remaining schedule was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kasevich, like his teammates, returned home for what would be the longest offseason of his baseball career. Although the Ducks took home a victory in their final game, Kasevich left Eugene with a bitter taste in his mouth. Throughout his freshman campaign, he was unable to find his stride as he hit .135 and started nine of the Ducks’ 14 games at third base. “It’s baseball, everyone has slumps,” Kasevich said. “But, the 2020 season was the first time I really struggled for such a long time, and that was hard to deal with.” He was right: Even the best ball players go through ebbs and flows at the plate. However, Kasevich’s slump transcended his struggles in the batter’s box. In fact, it goes back to the summer before his senior season at Palo Alto High School. Kasevich was invited to a showcase in Northern California where he began to attract scholarship offers after an impressive pitching performance.

When his senior season started, Kasevich continued to impress college scouts. He posted a 5-1 record and led the Vikings with 40 innings pitched and 48 strikeouts. When he wasn’t on the mound, Kasevich would start at shortstop. In more than 30 games, he hit .407 and led his team with 35 hits. The Ducks were drawn to his versatility and offered Kasevich a full scholarship as a two-way player. His ability to field, hit and pitch got him to the Division 1 level, but that versatility began to hinder Kasevich. “In the fall, I would split time with the pitchers and hitters,” Kasevich said. “Some days, I wouldn’t get as much time to pitch or hit. I felt like it was too much to split and I wasn’t focusing enough on one.” Kasevich started the first two games against Hawaii in the Ducks’ final series of the season. His slump continued as he failed to tally a base hit in either game. As he was preparing to start the final game of the series, he received devastating news. Lorraine Larson, his grandmother, had passed away. “Josh was pretty close with his grandma,” said Kasevich's dad, Mark. “He was devastated with her loss.” His coaches noticed something was off. After hearing of the tragedy, they made the decision to hold Kasevich out of Sunday’s game. the coaches went out of their way to

have conversations with Josh,” Mark said. Dealing with the loss of his grandma was an unexpected obstacle. Her loss coincided with what felt like a neverending slump and the abrupt conclusion to Kasevich’s freshman season. His world was turned upside down. Kasevich returned home for the offseason not knowing when he would see the plate next. He sat with his family, eating dinner and playing hearts, as they did most nights during quarantine. As his dad dealt the cards, Kasevich’s mind began to wander, fixating on the chain of travesties he had recently endured. In that moment, he made it his mission to use these obstacles as fuel to improve as a player. “I want to play for [my grandma] because she was always a huge fan,” Kasevich said. “Losing her and going through my slump motivated me and gave me a reason to push harder and get better.” When Kasevich is in a slump he tends to simplify his swing and go back to what’s comfortable. Comfort meant being at home with his parents and dedicating himself to his offseason workout routine. Kasevich’s workout routine would span six to eight hours each day. He would wake up and work out; then hit, field and throw; then finish off the day with another workout; then go to sleep and repeat the next day.

Mark said he had never seen his son dedicate himself to baseball like he did during his time back at home. Most notably, Kasevich returned to campus stronger than he had left. Leaves flooded the infield as Kasevich and his teammates returned to fall practice. Nestled between Gavin Grant and Sam Novitske, Kasevich felt at home fielding ground balls at shortstop during drills. He stopped splitting time between pitching, fielding and hitting, dedicating himself to shortstop. “It was always his dream to play infield,” Mark said. As the season rolled around, his constant focus on the new role began to pay off. Kasevich hit .328 throughout the month of March and started every game at shortstop. As the Ducks faced the Arizona Wildcats for their final game of the month, Kasevich had an explosive day at the plate. He had three singles, driving in two runs in the process. Opposing pitchers have yet to find ways to cool him down as he’s currently hitting .291 and is second on the team with 35 RBIs. Most impressively, Kasevich is one of only four Ducks to have started in all 41 games this season. Fueled by the memory of his grandma, Josh Kasevich put his freshman slump in the rearview mirror and became an anchor in the Ducks’ lineup. M O N D AY, M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1

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THE COALITION AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM EMU ROOM N109

26TH ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM BY DESIGN

FRI MAY 21 2021 @12 PM PST & SAT MAY 22 2021 @10 AM PST Come see our six amazing BIPOC speakers talk about the processes, industries, and built environments of design that lead to environmental racism and innovative solutions to combat them. Scan the QR code or follow us on Instagram and check out our bio @UOCAER to register.

@UOCAER

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F EA T URE D S PE AK ERS Fri May 21: Priyanka Bista The Role of Indigenous People in Conservation Aimee Okotie-Oyekan Planning for Climate Resilience Teju Adisa-Farrar All Racism is Environmental Sat May 22: Jasmine Burton Wish for WASH & Human Centered Design Brook Thompson Environmental Racism by Water Infrastructure Danielle Spurlock Still in Development: Amplifying Social Equity in Community Development