5-28-24 Emerald Media Group - ODE

THE

12 RANKED OREGON WOMEN’S GOLF SQUAD IS BEING LED BY A PHENOMENAL FRESHMAN

PROMISING TEAM IN EUGENE THE MOST

UO SEES UPTICK IN VANDALISM UO SEES UPTICK IN VANDALISM

BY GREY KAMASZ DESIGNED BY ADALEAH CARMAN

Campus Planning & Facilities Management is responsible for planning, building, maintaining and operating all the infrastructure that supports the University of Oregon’s mission. Part of CPFM’s responsibilities is removing vandalism from campus buildings.

Tad Lueck, structures and support manager at CPFM, defines vandalism as “anything that is taking away from the pre-existing surface.” Lueck added the distinction that it must be human involvement.

“Let’s say a rock flies out from underneath the car tire and breaks a window. I wouldn’t consider that vandalism. That is just an accident that happened,” Lueck said. “[However], if somebody picks up a rock and throws it through a window, that is vandalism.”

He said the most common type of vandalism he’s seen on campus is graffiti, and that while there are the occasional broken windows and people trying to break plumbing, they are a less common occurrence.

When a CPFM member encounters vandalism on campus, they put in a call ticket log. The call ticket is slated to the right division or crew, and the clean up process depends on the severity of the problem, Lueck said.

“We tend to roll on things that are considered offensive and

WITH SO MANY BUILDINGS ON CAMPUS, THE UNIVERSITY MUST WORK HARD TO ENSURE BUILDINGS ARE FREE OF VANDALISM

obscene, so we’re not rolling on everything,” he said. “If somebody writes a statement that’s untoward in some way or another, that’s when we’re going to be called, and we’re going to roll on that as a priority.”

The clean up process is very timeconsuming and often involves power washers, brushes, soaps and chemicals to remove the graffiti off brick and concrete. Since brick and concrete are porous, it can be difficult to remove all the graffiti from the material.

According to Lueck, there has been an uptick in graffiti vandalism on campus within the last few months. According to his report, the total cost of graffiti and vandalism cleanup in the last six months was $53,000, which is an average of $100,000 a year. Most of the graffiti required scrubbing, power washing or being painted over.

Quinn Wilcox, a junior majoring in sports business, said that they feel CPFM is doing a good job.

“I find where I am most at, like Lillis Hall, is usually very clean,” Wilcox said. “Maybe there’s like some poster that shouldn’t be there, but I’ve really [got] no problem with that.”

Lueck said that he doesn’t believe people truly recognize how much it costs to maintain a campus.

“When I run reports, and I see in six months that we spent $53,000 on graffiti, that’s the cost of an employee right there,” Lueck said. “It’s significant, and I don’t think people realize that.”

On May 22, pro-Palestine protestors and UO reached an agreement to end the encampment.

Kaarin Knudson, Eugene’s next mayor, earned roughly 75% of the vote in the May 21 elections.

Caplinger

Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner

ON THE COVER Kiara Romero participates in the NCAA Women’s Golf Regional tournament in Auburn, Ala. (Stew Milne/ Courtesy of Oregon Athletics)

Generally, the university does not close down buildings when vandalism occurs. Instead, it closes the vandalized area or allows the crew to clean during off hours. Once the area is clean, the building reopens the formally vandalized area.

Students can report vandalism to UOPD or CPFM.

The Zero Waste Program aims to integrate composting on campus.

We want to hear from you:

A mailbox outside of the Lillis Business Complex is covered in graffiti and stickers. Vandalism in campus buildings continues to increase as the end of spring term approaches. (Kemper Flood/ 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.

(Alex Hernandez/ Emerald)

(Casey Crowley/Emerald)

(Colleen Bogdan/Emerald)

FROM FAIRYTALE TO DANCE FLOOR: SHREK RAVE LIGHTS UP WOW HALL

WOW HALL HOSTED A VIBRANT SHREK-THEMED RAVE ON MAY 17, UNITING THE COMMUNITY FOR A NIGHT OF ECCENTRIC COSTUMES, EDM BEATS AND NOSTALGIC FUN

BY LIZZY SOLORZANO • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

People slowly pour into the dark hall as electronic beats bounce off the walls. Multicolor lights bounce in sync with the people on the dance floor. The buzz of excited conversation in the air is bulldozed by the thumping bass. Still, you hear the occasional cheer.

The crowd then huddles together in front of the two young men on stage with headphones, who nod their heads to match the rhythm. The air is thick with sweat, someone’s sweet perfume and palpable energy. The electrifying world engulfs you the moment you step inside, and suddenly you’re dancing with a wolf in a dress, pirates, ugly stepsisters and three blind mice as the two men repeatedly shout, “Shrek Rave!”

WOW Hall, one of Eugene’s historic treasures, hosted the all-ages touring event, Shrek Rave, bringing together the community for a night of fun on Friday, May 17.

This event, inspired by the iconic movie series, encouraged community members to dress up as their favorite characters. They danced together as random clips and bizarre fan-made Shrek content played behind the DJs on stage. The clips ranged from scenes from the movie to animations of Shrek twerking and dancing. It’s almost impressive how much Shrek content is out there.

The variety of costumes included the Three Little Pigs, Donkey and his dragon girlfriend Elizabeth and plenty of Shreks. Even Fairy Godmother graced the hall with her appearance.

Everard added that to foster inclusivity for an event with a theme like this, it’s open to everyone, whether it’s your first rave or you simply love dressing up. Combine this with the movie aspect and its message of valuing personality and character over physical appearance, it soon becomes clear why dressing up in eccentric costumes is so fitting — it captures the essence of the film’s spirit. It’s a welcoming space to embrace your quirks, have fun and sing along with your friends in costume to EDM versions of songs from the soundtrack.

It is astounding that a pop culture movie released over two decades ago has created a niche rave where people are eagerly willing to throw on bald caps and paint themselves green — but here we are.

“‘Shrek’ was a movie that came and went, and then it came back as a cultural moment,” Brooke Everard, volunteer coordinator at WOW Hall, said. “I think a lot of young people especially were able to gather around this weird theme and show up and be their authentic selves or be someone completely different. That was the fun part.”

“No one’s trying to be hot stuff. They’re just there to have fun and have a laugh,” Everard said. “I think [the movie] definitely lends itself to a fun environment like a rave. Just seeing everybody show up in costume is so much fun.”

Gracie Everett, an avid rave-goer, attended the Shrek Rave for the first time dressed as one of the blind mice. She and her friends crafted their costumes down to the mouse ears. Everett said this setting was a refreshing change from their usual raves like Foam Wonderland, and it was fun to dress as a character.

“It’s important to be openminded,” Everett said. “We’re all into the same thing. It’s nice to meet new people who like the same thing as you, especially if they like loud music and dancing a lot.”

WOW Hall has a rich history dating back to the 1930s as it was built at the peak of the Great Depression. It served as a sanctuary for people to unwind and revel in life’s pleasures. Everard said that despite economic troubles, people couldn’t let that get in the way of celebrating life, even if years later it’s a Shrek rave.

“I just think that history really comes through, being able to dance on dance floors that have been used for almost 100 years,” Everard said. “All these years, it continues to be a place where people can kick back, have fun, enjoy the company of people in the community and no matter what is going on in the world, this is still the place for them.”

(Noa Schwartz/Emerald)

KIARA ROMERO IS THE NEXT OREGON ATHLETE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT

In her freshman season in Eugene, Romero has secured two wins in stroke-play competitions and has rocketed up both the collegiate and World Amateur rankings

Kiara Romero participates in the NCAA Women’s Golf Regional tournament in Auburn, Ala.

(Stew Milne/ Courtesy of Oregon Athletics)

BY JACK LAZARUS

DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

For most of the major Oregon sports, the consensus is that the future is bright and the programs are in safe hands.

Nowhere is that more true than in the No. 12 ranked Oregon women’s golf team, a team currently battling for the National Championship in Carlsbad, Calif.

More specifically, the Ducks are in possession of one of the sport’s fastest rising stars — true freshman and the nation’s fourth ranked women’s golfer, Kiara Romero.

Romero has set herself apart from much of the collegiate field, as she currently ranks as the 26th best amateur golfer in the world, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Her volume also cannot be understated. Romero averaged a 70.81 round score for both the spring and fall, which is the best out of any Oregon golfer that competed in the lineup regularly.

She also shot par-or-better in 21 of her first 27 rounds as a Duck — a stat no one else on the squad came even close to reaching.

Romero, a Duck who flies well under the radar, is unknown to many on campus, especially given the star-studded athletic department here in Eugene.

“I had never heard about the Women’s Golf team nor Romero, but I am not surprised we have one of the best teams and players,” UO student Brandon Soble said.

A San Jose native, Romero always grew up around golf and started competing at a young age along with her siblings.

“I have a sister who also plays, and we all started at the same time when we were younger,” Romero said to GoDucks. “Growing up, we always played a bunch of competitions against each other and I think that’s how I learned to compete.”

The youngest of the crop of golfers coming from the Romero household, her sister Kaleiya is finishing a successful career in Pepperdine.

Romero shares the stage in Eugene with her older brother Kyreece, who competes with the

“I KNOW GOLF IS AN INDIVIDUAL SPORT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE’RE ALL PART OF THE TEAM AND HAVE THE SAME GOAL AND WANT TO WIN.”

KIARA ROMERO, Oregon golfer

Ducks’ men’s golf team.

“It’s pretty cool to be playing alongside my brother,” Romero said. “We all practice together a lot, so it’s really good to be out there pushing each other.”

Her ascent through the women’s golf world has been nothing short of remarkable, and it started well before she got to Eugene.

“We’re all very thankful she’s here,” head coach Derek Radley said, “but Kiara should be a senior in high school right now, so she’s pretty quiet by nature. I am really proud of her. I think she’s come a long way.”

Golfweek ranked her as the best prospect in the class of 2023 after her high school career, which included three Rolex Junior All-American honors and a win at the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior Golf Championship. That win earned her a spot in the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open and also guaranteed her spot at the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

While her time in Augusta wasn’t her finest golf, her opening round score of a one-under (71) was a shining example of her accomplishments.

“It was so surreal playing at Augusta,” Romero said. “You dream about that moment and you don’t believe it’s happening until it’s right in front of you, and just like ‘This is Augusta.’”

Her entrance into the collegiate game was destined to make major waves in the field, especially after she came out of the gate with a win at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, hosted by the University of Minnesota. Romero’s performance in that competition fueled the team to a second-place finish — tied for Oregon’s second-best finish in 2024.

After a lackluster spring 2023 campaign, Radley noted how Romero’s presence on the team has been among the most positive changes from a golfing perspective. Romero sees it differently, as she is just a continuation of the outcomes of last year.

“I think [last year’s lack of success] encourages us to work harder,” Romero said. “Mistakes happen and you gotta come out here, prove ourselves and get back to where we were before.”

Romero continued her impressive freshman year and won the first stroke-play event of the spring — this time, it was an outright win and her second win in only her fifth stroke-play event of her college career.

“Kiara is a superstar — proven winner in junior golf. I think that win that she had at the Junior Girls’ Championship … really propelled her to the stage she’s on now,” Radley said. “I think [the team] embraced the success and talent that she is. She’s stepped into the leadership role from a golfing standpoint.”

What has resulted from these two wins was that she earned the respect of the entire team and gradually entered the role of a true leader.

“We all really push each other to work our hardest and teamwork is really important out there,” Romero said. “I know golf is an individual sport, but at the end of the day, we’re all part of the team and have the same goal and want to win.”

It is no secret that the team’s success revolved around Romero in 2024. Romero failed to finish lower than 18th in the spring, and every time she made the top 10 of any competition, Oregon

“I FEEL LIKE MY BIG THING IS JUST KINDA GO INTO EACH TOURNAMENT WITH THE SAME MINDSET. YOU DON’T WANT THE STAGE TO AFFECT YOUR MINDSET OR KINDA SCARE YOU AWAY OR ANYTHING.”

finished in the top three.

The main thing that has rocketed her into this newfound stardom has been her unwavering confidence and incredibly calm mindset when it comes to golf — displaying outstanding maturity in the face of a new situation.

“I feel like my big thing is just kinda go into each tournament with the same mindset. You don’t want the stage to affect your mindset or kinda scare you away or anything,” Romero said. “You gotta go in with the same confidence every time and do your best.”

And that’s exactly what she’s been doing, and exactly what she will continue to do.

As she moves on from her freshman year into her sophomore year, Romero can’t continue her role as the new kid on the block, but must step into her new role as an emotional leader for this team — something that goes well beyond what transpires on the course.

But, as she and Radley both note, Romero has no fear of her new expectations, and will lead the Ducks into their new role as a powerhouse in the Big Ten.

KIARA ROMERO, Oregon golfer

MY THREE FAVORITE MEN’S SPRING AND SUMMER SCENTS MY THREE FAVORITE MEN’S SPRING AND SUMMER SCENTS

BY AIDAN ECKHARDT • DESIGNED BY ADALEAH CARMAN

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SMELL LIKE GENERIC BODY WASH OR DIOR SAUVAGE, TRY ONE OF THESE

The more you get into fragrances, the more it feels like an addiction. Sure, that Bleu de Chanel was great when you first smelled it, but now it’s become bland and you want something harder. Soon you’ll find yourself wearing ingredients like ambergris (solidified whale vomit) and oud (the mold infected heartwood of the Aquilaria tree) to scratch the itch because the simple stuff just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Okay, maybe you’re not that far gone, and maybe you don’t even wear fragrance. But if you’re considering getting into scents, spring is the perfect time. Spring and summer scents are very approachable with light notes like bergamot, grapefruit and pink pepper. This approachability ensures you won’t send people running, but it also fences you off from what a creative warm weather scent can be.

The thing about spring and summer perfumery is that, chemically, it’s hard to make something interesting that will last on the skin. Most perfume ingredients that last a while are heavy and rich, and become cloying in hot weather. That leaves perfumers with a very small palette. This homogeneity becomes so horribly blasé. You’ll end up smelling like everyone else, and that ruins the intimate and unique form of self expression fragrance gives you. But amongst the coal and gravel there are some gems. These are my

three favorite men’s warm weather fragrances that are truly unique, but still accessible.

Starting with the easiest to love on this list, is Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Amyris Homme eau de toilette. This smells like bedsheets in a luxury hotel. Opening with Sicilian mandarin and rosemary, there’s a zingy herbaceous accord that keeps this fresh and pleasant. Straying away from the lightness of the opening, the middle brings in coffee, milk chocolate and iris. They’re balanced by a coconut note and the namesake note of amyris, which gives it a slightly resinous and piney feel. It ends with tonka bean — a sweet and earthy note reminiscent of dried tobacco — and oud. There’s such a well tamed richness in this that you can detect immediately, and that makes it so special to wear. Next is a new scent that I’ve grown to love very fast, being Tom Ford’s Oud Mineralé. Originally released in Tom Ford’s private blend collection, this has transferred to the (slightly) more affordable signature line, and I’m so glad it has. This is the most interesting take on an aquatic scent I’ve smelled, because where most designer aquatics smell like a sanitized idea of the ocean, this one smells like the actual ocean. Read the notes and it may sound unpalatable, but don’t knock it just yet. This is the smell in your hair after swimming in the sea. It’s a piece of soggy driftwood with barnacles and salt crusted on it. It’s

the smell of the breeze coming across the water as you wade through a tidepool. It’s sharp and funky but it works. Notes like salt, seagrass and balsam fir bring the vision to life. Even if you don’t end up liking it, it’s still worth a sample just to see how transportive fragrance can be.

Finally, we come to my personal favorite: The eau de toilette version of Hermes’s Terre d’Hermes. Its name, terre, is French for “earth,” and it lives up to that moniker. Imagine an orange peel covered in dirt sitting on a rock baking in the sun. That’s the best way I can describe this scent, and I love that. It’s so unique and it feels old- fashioned and classy while also being avant garde and modern. Most of the notes aren’t that special, but the direction the perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena has gone with them is so nuanced. The orange is bitter and rindy. The vetiver is dry and grassy. The pepper, flint, and pelargonium in the middle give it an accord that smells like soil or rock. The whole composition feels like the concept of bright sunlight and earth; it’s truly beautiful.

Whether you want to be a less insane Jeremy Fragrance, or just want to smell good this spring and summer, these are all worth checking out. Fair warning, though:, Tthese might be the gateway scents that get you fully addicted.

(Stephanie Yang/Emerald)

NOWICKI: USE RATE MY PROFESSORS AT YOUR OWN RISK

OPINION: RATEMYPROFESSORS IS NOT A RELIABLE ENOUGH SOURCE FOR DICTATING YOUR CLASS SCHEDULE AND SHOULD BE USED WITH CAUTION, IF UTILIZED AT ALL

RateMyProfessors.com is a website, unaffiliated with any university, offering a platform for anyone to leave reviews and ratings of a professor.

I used to use Rate My Professors frequently, catering my classes around these nameless ratings because I believed professors “make or break” the class. I still do believe they can; however, I no longer think Rate My Professors is a trustworthy source on which to base my academic choices.

While the site has the potential to be an honest forum where students can voice their compliments or criticisms, there are fundamental reasons why this is not the case.

Firstly, since the site does not require any form of verification, anyone, affiliated students or not, can leave anonymous reviews. Because of this anonymity, users cannot be identified or caught spamming multiple reviews to boost or drop someone’s rating.

cinema, journalism, comparative literature and business) about their usage and feelings toward Rate My Professors.

I began to question if RateMyProfessors reviews are based on the class being “easy or hard” and less so on the professors’ character, ability to teach, academic credentials and the opportunities and availability they offer their students outside of class time. I was inspired by several reviews.

PROFESSORS RATED AS 4 OR HIGHER…

Secondly, most professors do not exceed 30 reviews/ratings throughout their entire teaching careers, meaning many of these ratings are based on a small sample size built over several years.

Finally, many ratings were created during or before the COVID-19 pandemic. I observed that numerous ratings before 2022 are based on a professor’s ability to navigate asynchronous learning and Zoom, which aren’t applicable to their in-person teaching abilities.

It was not until I looked up my favorite professor — who was new at the time and, therefore, did not have any prior ratings — that I reevaluated why I blindly trusted this source. I found my professor received an especially low score by the end of the term. There are differing opinions, but taking their class impacted my life, helped me discover what I was passionate about and introduced them as my mentor.

PROFESSORS RATED AS 3 OR LOWER…

That incident inspired me to deep dive into this website. I looked over reviews of numerous UO professors and asked UO students across various majors (political science, psychology, advertising,

BY CLAIRE NOWICKI

DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

“There seems to be a large focus on reviews purely about the difficulty or amount of homework a professor assigns,” Ian Ahlberg, a third-year, said. “I rarely see constructive and complex reviews, mostly just anger or praise.”

“Although Rate My Professors can be a helpful tool to get a sense of what future classes might be like, it is also important to remember that it is not an accurate measure of what people are actually like,” second-year student F. Adams said. “Because the people that feel compelled to write a review are likely those that hold the most extreme views about a class or instructor, I always try to take the reviews with a grain of salt.”

“Reviews are often inundated from students who didn’t like the class and/or did not receive the letter grade they wanted and are taking it out on the professor,” third-year Riley Lynch said. “The current usage deters me from actively participating and relying on the website because the reviews are so extreme.”

Students at UO had divided responses about the rating system of Rate My Professors and its credibility. Some found it very trustworthy, used it frequently and believed ratings are distinguishable from easy = good and hard = bad. However, several students noticed the rating inconsistencies.

What each student I asked shared in common, even those with a different opinion than my own, was that they all use RateMyProfessors. Whether they completely trust it or not, they still check the site, just as I do, as an extra precaution.

RateMyProfesssors does not ensure a student will have a positive or negative experience with a particular professor. Our tastes, personalities and studies are so widely different that anonymous people’s judgments should not overpower our decisions to take a class.

If you want to get the best bang for your tuition buck, I recommend asking your friends, classmates, professors and advisors before resorting to Rate My Professors.

And if you’re still worried, you can try to meet the professor and use your own judgment before registering for their class.

CROSSWORD

Matter of

24 Hot appliance

__ favor: please, in

Land unit

Succinct

Neither here __ there 44 Oblong tomato

Portal to another level 49 Sneezer’s need

Feel bad about 52 Best 5K times, e.g. 53 Postgraduate pursuit

56 Constellation bear 57 Buckeye State sch.

58 “Not so fast!,” or what one can do with 20-, 27-, 45-, and 53-Across 61 Tart-tasting 62 Writing tool 63 To the max 64 13-Across’s override

Yellowstone ruminant

Slanted type, for short

Failed, in a way

Informal pricing words

Flimsy excuse 8 Figure skater Yamaguchi

Device that protects teeth and gums

Bright and airy areas of some malls

Connect after entering credentials

“And __ what happened?” 14 Gives a new handle to, as a rescue pet 21 Prepared to propose, possibly 22 Writers McEwan and Fleming 23 Money in the bank, say

SUDOKU

28 Sprinter’s before-the-gun error 29 Kagan of the Supreme Court 33 Grabbed with both hands 34 Knight’s suit

Comes close

“The Hunchback of __ Dame”

39 Slop holders on a farm

42 Otherwise 46 Liechtenstein’s continent

47 Boat or gravy boat

48 Propagate anew

49 Divination deck with 78 cards

50 Matter of debate

53 Dishevel, with “up”

54 Action with a basketball or a cookie

55 Ticklish Muppet

59 Here, in Québec

60 CBD-like compound in some edibles

© 2023 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.

(Stella Fetherston/Emerald)

Spring term is a joyous season at UO; the sun is shining, allergies are booming and tours stalk us on the daily. Despite all of the spring fun, I can’t help but notice a concerning trend on this campus: the horrifying sunburns and Trump-esque spray tans.

While I too enjoy a golden hue during the warmer months, tanning is an obsession for some to the point of skin damage and fluorescent hues. As a result of a cultural push to look flawless and wealthy, this unhealthy beauty standard dominates our campus.

For a quick recap of every warning your concerned mom has given to you (as so many seem to have forgotten), applying sunscreen is essential to protect against not only direct sunburns but also the long-term sun damage that may leave you with skin cancer. Preventing premature aging is another bonus.

People like to underplay the danger of skin cancer and its connection to improper sun exposure. For reference, as found by Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, “one in five Americans develop skin cancer by the age of 70… and having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.”

While it may seem like a worry for the future, protection against skin cancer should be a lifelong effort. Applying sunscreen is also equally important for people of all skin tones despite the lack of public awareness surrounding the issue. “I wear sunscreen daily as a person with

COX: ENOUGH RECKLESS TANNING

COX: ENOUGH RECKLESS TANNING

BY GRACIE COX • DESIGNED BY ADALEAH CARMAN

SUCK IT UP AND SLATHER ON THAT SUNSCREEN

melanin,” first-year Alexandra Locsin said. “I recognize that my skin can still be damaged by the sun while being a darker tone in the first place.”

From a cultural perspective, why do we feel the need to tan excessively? I see the urge as the result of various social pressures, from a taught discontentment with our natural bodies to the constant marketing of tanning-related products and procedures.

Other than delivering a healthy glow, tans are also used to cover up the perceived imperfections on our bodies. Many believe tans to distract from acne, stretch marks and body hair, and they sacrifice their skin health in an attempt to capitalize off of this and additionally appear “thinner.”

The beauty industry also pushes a “perfectly tan” norm, which allows it to capitalize on

insecurities about being too pale. For instance, “bronze-enhancing” and tanning products are constantly advertised on social media, as seen with the dozens of self-tanner options and widespread popularity of bronzing makeup like Drunk Elephant’s “D-Bronzi” drops.

“I see it as people wanting to look tan as a sign of wealth,” first-year Riley O’Mara said.

“Being tan implies that they have the time and money to go on luxury vacations and spend on products to achieve the look.

In some people’s eyes, sunscreen doesn’t fit into the look, and they’re more focused on appearances in the present than their future health.”

While I’m grateful for the sun and tuition dollars that Californians bring to UO, I’m less grateful for inheriting their reckless abandonment of sun protection. Enjoy your last few weeks of the term safely, apply that sunscreen and protect your future baddie self from the consequences of those afternoons at Dexter.

WHAT HAPPENS

THE EUGENE EMERALDS’ DILEMMA WHAT HAPPENS

As the ballot measure vote got shot down by the city’s voters on Tuesday, what can the Emeralds do now without a home?

On May 21, the city finally received a longawaited answer for one of Eugene’s largest conundrums — whether the Emeralds, the city’s High-A baseball team, would be forced to move out of PK Park.

What the city waited years to decide was whether or not taxpayers would allocate municipal funding toward building a new 4,500 seat multiuse stadium on the site of the Lane County Fairgrounds.

That answer — a resounding no — was revealed to all during Tuesday’s game, and raises many questions.

WHY WOULD THE EMERALDS BE FORCED OUT?

Due to a 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement made between the MLB Players Association and the MLB, minor league baseball players secured inclusion in the MLBPA. This new legislation revamped the standards that minor league clubs needed to maintain, especially as it relates to player locker rooms, coaches locker rooms and a separate area that would be used for female athletes.

Currently, since Oregon Ducks baseball is in season, the Emeralds cannot use the home locker rooms and are forced to use the visitors’ locker room.

For umpires and visiting teams, there is simply nowhere at PK Park that could host an entire baseball squad. The answer to this problem has always been to use trailers that are specialized for the purpose of being a locker room.

That still doesn’t cut it, especially given the new bargaining power of minor league players.

The new stadium was supposed to receive funding from private investors and taxpayer money.

WHAT DID THE CITY OF EUGENE DO ABOUT THIS?

The city stepped in and made this issue a ballot measure that was decided Tuesday.

On Tuesday night, as the seventh inning in an Emeralds blowout of the Spokane Indians rolled around, the team announced that the ballot measure resulted in 67% no votes.

That meant the proposal for a new stadium — $15 million of which was to be paid for by Eugene taxpayers — lost in resounding fashion.

According to the team’s funding plan provided in each series program, the cost to front the

stadium and demolition of the proposed site would only amount to about $22 per person — accounting for every single person in Eugene.

This failed to sway the attitude of the city.

WHAT NOW?

Emeralds baseball will either have to run as an independent franchise or be moved to keep affiliation with the San Francisco Giants.

“This is obviously very discouraging,” Ems General Manager Allan Benavides said in a press release. “We are going to need to regroup with Lane County and MLB to determine the next steps in light of this news.”

The Emeralds signed a contract with PK Park that runs until 2030, but the MLB could step in if needed in order to ensure the Emeralds play in a stadium that is up to the league’s standards.

The atmosphere around the club is one of confusion and anger, but mostly the feeling that the future remains unknown. Eugene cannot keep its High-A team, but at the same time, there aren’t

BY JACK LAZARUS DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

any plans for either the Ems or the Giants on what the next steps are.

The Emeralds will use the stadium for the rest of this season and the 2025 season, but there is no guarantee beyond that for any stadium to host the team going forward. Once the club receives word from San Francisco on its plan of action, Eugene can start planning its next steps.

Meanwhile, the $15 million that the city would have fronted has to be secured, in miracle fashion, if the Emeralds have any hope of staying in the city.

The MLB’s patience dwindles by the minute, and with no real stake in the game, it remains difficult to see where the sympathy that the Emeralds desperately need will come from.

The writing has been on the wall for some time, and with just around 27% of Eugene residents voting, the city has shown no great desire to ensure the Emeralds stay.

After 70 years, Eugene potentially has to say goodbye to its beloved Emeralds, but for now we get to enjoy the last two seasons of this glorious franchise — let’s make sure they go out with a bang.

Victor Bericoto (right) receives advice from Carlos Valderrama at third base. The Eugene Emeralds finish their homestead with a win against the Vancouver Canadians by a final score of 6-4 at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on June 25, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

MURRAY: A WORLD WITHOUT SPORTS

Opinion: A tribute to Steve Rushin, in my own words BY

Author’s Note: Eight years ago, I read Steve Rushin’s column “A World Without Mookies” in Sports Illustrated. It’s the reason that I love to write, and I’ve always wanted to pay tribute to the piece that inspires me. Here goes.

Sports aren’t perfect, but they’re the closest thing to adult childhood I’ve found so far, which is strangely also how I’d describe my first year of college. Without sports, there’s not much for me to do in my first year here. Without them, Saturday mornings in Eugene aren’t spent across the river — they’re spent in bed, and given how much time I already spend asleep there, a world without sports is a tough ask. But let’s imagine it anyway.

In this world without sports, “Animal House” is a failed predecessor of National Lampoon’s “Vacation” franchise. Otis Day and the Knights never get their (fictional) break and “Shout” is just a brand of stain remover. Without sports, I do homework on Saturdays in lieu of watching the World Cornhole Championships on ESPN — and “Pac-12” only appears on the 12-pack of Command Strips that I bought at Target on move-in day. Of course, after this year, the Pac-12 is history too, but these months weren’t lost on me. Without sports, I would know half of what I know now about basketball, far less about softball and next-to-nothing about acrobatics and tumbling. Without sports, I’ve spent far less time in a stadium seat, which is probably better for my back, but less so for my soul. Without sports, I’m less positive, less excited and less well-versed in life than I am today. Without sports, I never ended up in Las Vegas, or in Phoenix, or back in Seattle for that matter.

I didn’t order $85 worth of Little Caesar’s or visit Caesar’s Palace, and I haven’t yet spent time in a casino. There’s far fewer excuses for me to leave my room, or my campus, or this city. Without

OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY LIZ BLODGETT

(Noa Schwartz/Emerald)

sports, my life is all right here. Is that alright? I don’t know.

That’s not to say that there’s nothing here, because without sports, I don’t meet many (frankly, any) of the people that I have this year.

Wednesday and Friday nights are not spent at pickup. I don’t tear through my cleats, nor do I play in rain, sleet, snow, hail or, eventually, sun. I’m not quite as physically active, I have significantly fewer friends — whom I find myself increasingly grateful for — and neither my sister nor my best friend come to campus.

Without sports, my wardrobe is far smaller.

I own nine fewer shirts, four fewer hats and three fewer pairs of pants. There’s way less sports paraphernalia on my walls, in my closet and on my phone’s lock screen. There’s never an alarm set for 4:30 a.m., or 4:31 a.m., or 4:32 a.m. I do less laundry, but simply put, I’ve got less personality in a world without sports. True, without sports, I get more things done on time. There’s none of those turf pellets in my room, and my parents never text me, “Are you really watching soccer in class?” Sorry, Mom. Thanks for the tuition money. I promise it’s going to be of good use. Because without sports, I’m arguably worse at thinking, probably worse at writing and definitely worse at talking to people. Those are things that I value. Without sports, I’m living in a “Shout”-less, quieter, less-positive world. It’s Autzen without the Stadium. “After Dark” is no longer preceded by “Pac-12.” “Why are you waking up so early?” only pertains to 8 a.m. classes. I never stay up late. Nearly every living moment is less full. But I’ve decided that a world without sports should be confined to this page. They’ve done far too much for me to warrant their disappearance, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store.

What would you miss most in a world without sports?

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