8/24/15 Emerald Media - Law School Guide

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LAW SCHOOL GUIDE

COURT IS IN SESSION.

The University of Oregon School of Law begins fall term on Aug. 24. Welcome back the gavel with the Emerald’s look into the land of legalese.

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đ&#x;“Ł OPINION

HOW UNIVERSITY OF OREGON LAW CAN RISE ABOVE ITS RANKINGS

➥ THOMAS

DAL PINO

U.S. News recently ranked the University of Oregon School of Law as 2016’s 82nd-best law school. Of course, it’s strange to think that a publishing company owned by a Canadian billionaire gets to decide who will train America’s future lawyers rather than, say, a committee of impartial judges. However, UO’s reaction to that ranking, regardless of its merit, will determine the future of its law school. But, above all, that reaction should embrace what makes the UO unique – not what’s expected of it.

U.S. News ranks schools using three primary criteria: quality, selectivity and job opportunities available to graduates. The problem, though, is that these rankings can fluctuate dramatically. While the top 20 schools rest comfortably, the rest duke it out every year in an unpredictable melee. Take the Lewis and Clark Law School, for instance: in 2009, it sat comfortably at 61st, better than any other law school in Oregon at the time. But, after a short-lived jump to 58th in 2012, the school dropped to 94th.

In fact, a school’s top-tier ranking can become dependent on its ability to find jobs for its graduates – it makes up 20 percent of the score. And as the economy expands and shrinks, so too do the amount of available jobs for freshly minted lawyers. The school should create opportunities for students, of course. But buying into a system that rewards rote conformity isn’t the path for a groundbreaking university.

Trying to keep up with those rankings is an impractical and inefficient way to build a nationally recognized program. Instead of playing catchup, the UO School of Law should recognize the ranking system’s inherent flaw and instead focus on the fundamentals. Old-fashioned prestige, won The 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.

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through hard academic work and the reputations of successful graduates, is the best way forward.

Take a look at the School of Law’s recent rebranding campaign, as part of the UO’s general makeover. Despite the sleek design of its new website and promotional media, this process has revealed a fundamentally problematic approach to its lagging national rank. The new Portland Program, an obvious attempt to boost the school’s post-graduation employment statistics by moving students closer to where jobs are, is mistakenly prioritized over serious programs like the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, an acclaimed gathering of the best environmental lawyers in the country.

Taking a reactionary stance towards development is an unfortunate detour for the School of Law. Sure, rankings are still important. They’re the first tools prospective students use to narrow their list of choices.

But a competition that can’t be won by the UO shouldn’t be confused for a guiding organizational principle. Quality programs, led and taught by quality people, are what build institutions – not a perpetual horse race.

If the UO wants a quick boost to its image, its specialty programs are an easy solution. Its legal writing, environment and conflict resolution programs are consistently named among the nation’s best. So attract highcaliber talent to them, give them whatever resources they need and the best professors in the business, and let them do extraordinary things. They are the people that will put the School of Law on the map – not the ones who add up the numbers.

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đ&#x;‘Ľ PERSONALITIES

BROTHERS IN LAW ➥ COOPER Identical twins, actually. Ben and David Eder are two of the four recipients set to receive the 2015 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. The award recognizes great achievements in a law career within 10 years of graduation. The award ceremony will take place at the alumni reunion dinner on Sept. 25 at the Ford Alumni Center.

G R E E N , @ C LYG R E E N

The twins both attended the University of Washington for their undergraduate studies and both graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2005. They went into law for similar reasons, both inspired by their grandfather — also a lawyer.

Now, the twins work for the same firm in Portland: Thuemmel Uhle & Eder.

David (left) and Ben graduating from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2005.

Ben (left) and David Eder as children.

David (left) and Ben with their parents, Sharon and Norman Eder.

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P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y O F B E N A N D D AV I D E D E R

Ben Eder Ben works mostly in criminal law. He saw the reliability of the profession and the steady income which it provided. For Ben, it was the summer between 1L and 2L (the first two years of law school) at the UO School of Law that pushed him to become a practicing lawyer. He worked for the summer as an intern at the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

Once Ben realized the courtroom was where he wanted to be, his first step was to learn from the best. He asked around and compiled a list of the best trial lawyers in Oregon; then he watched them work.

“It was somewhat akin to stalking,” Ben joked.

But the persistence paid off. After spending enough

time around the small legal community in the Portland area, he was offered a job at one of the firms he’d been following, Thuemmel Uhle.

In 2012, Ben became a partner at the firm, now Thuemmel Uhle & Eder. In 2013 and 2014, Ben was listed as one of the top 100 trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers and is now considered a featured presenter on DUI defense, cross examination of police, DMV hearings and jury selection.

Ben enjoys traveling in his free time, a passion shared by his trilingual wife. The two spent their honeymoon in Italy last year.

As for the future, Ben isn’t going anywhere.

“I’ve been so happy doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I just feel really blessed.”

David (left) and Ben identical down to the outfits.

David Eder David works mostly in civil law. He saw the happiness his grandfather had in working with people as a lawyer. For David, it was that same summer between 1L and 2L that affirmed his career path. He spent the summer working at the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

“It turned out to be something I’m really passionate about,” David said. “I loved doing it.”

The summer was a career opportunity as well as a chance for the brothers to spend some time apart, to “meet people who didn’t know they were twins,” David said.

After graduation, David worked for a time as the assistant city attorney with the City of Beaverton, Ore. David’s work focused mostly on D.U.I.I. cases and traffic crimes. In 2010, David

David (left) with his wife, Sara, and children and Ben (right) with his wife, Kaori.

The twins showed their synchronicity when asked about their feelings on the imminent award.

“It’s a really nice honor. There are a lot of really amazing lawyers that would be as good or better candidates,” said Ben. David described mixed emotions of excitement as

developed a program to help underemployed and unemployed lawyers receive training from nonprofit organizations. The American Bar Association named it the Young Lawyer Section Program of the Year.

The twins were reunited at Thuemmel Uhle & Eder in Oct. 2014 when David joined the firm at which his brother had become a partner.

“The day I joined they took his last name down and put mine up,” he joked.

David has two children with his wife, Sara Eder, who he met in law school. He says he wouldn’t change where he’s at for anything.

“I like being around people.

When work is fulfilling and I enjoy it, it doesn’t feel like I need as much downtime,” David said.

“I hope to be exactly where I am for the rest of my life. Our roots are set.”

well as confusion.

“There are a lot of people that could have and probably should have received this award who are equally deserving if not more,” he said.

It seems like, along with ambition and achievement, humility runs in the Eder family.

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đ&#x;‘? BOOKS

Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson in the film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird.

FINCH FLIES ASTRAY ➥ EMERSON

MALONE, @ALLMALONE

America needs its heroes. Our heroes are confident, but not cocky. Wise, but not pedantic. Charismatic, but soft spoken. This summer, an American hero’s legacy was crushed under the weight of his own bigotry.

With the publication of Go Set a Watchman, the To Kill a Mockingbird sequel published 55 years after the original novel, Jean Louise “Scout� Finch takes the train from New York to visit her family in Maycomb, Ala. and reconnect with her father, Atticus Finch.

This isn’t the same Atticus from Mockingbird, which takes place about 15 years before in the early 1930s.

Readers will remember the OG civil rights attorney and single dad from Mockingbird, determined to ensure civil rights and decency for all. The original, younger Atticus imparted profound fatherly advice like, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ‌ until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.â€?

The radical Atticus defended Tom Robinson, a black man, accused of raping a white woman in Mockingbird.

He’s the clichÊd example of a role model cited by students in law school applications. He’s an inspiration, the unlikely hero Maycomb needs and deserves. But Watchman reveals a different side to Atticus.

When a reader opens Watchman, he or she shouldn’t expect to read about Atticus climbing a flagpole in South Carolina and tearing down the Confederate flag. Now 72, arthritic and surly, this is the Atticus who dabbles in Ku Klux Klan meetings, and who could lose his job if someone covertly recorded his racist musings.

He asks Jean, “Do you want Negroes by the carload in our schools and churches and theaters? Do you want them in our world?� He also remarks that AfricanAmericans “are still in their childhood as a people.�

Atticus of the 1950s is now the antithesis of his

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former self, causing many readers to be disillusioned.

The New York Times’ Alexandra Alter wrote: “If Mockingbird sugarcoats racial divisions by depicting a white man as the model for justice in an unjust world, then Watchman may be like bitter medicine that more accurately reflects the times.�

Author Alexander Chee wrote for The Guardian, “We are in a novel with an infinitely more complicated moral landscape, which clearly hoped to describe the damning nature of the entire system of white supremacy.�

Even Jean Louise is bummed about it. In Watchman, she remarks “...[t]he one human being she had ever fully and wholeheartedly trusted had failed her [‌] betrayed her, publicly, grossly, and shamelessly.â€?

Watchman borrows its title from the Biblical verse Isaiah 21:6, which states, “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, ‘Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.’�

For Lee, lawyers and watchmen are not very far apart.

In a world plagued by immorality and misjudgment, one must be declared a “watchman,� or a saintly guide to navigate our way out of prejudice and intolerance.

Author Harper Lee wrote Watchman back in the mid-fifties. Editors originally rejected Lee’s manuscript of Watchman, and were more interested in the novel’s flashbacks, which became the catalyst for Mockingbird.

Published at the arrival of the civil rights movement, Mockingbird became a landmark text for decency and equality among all races. The Watchman manuscript was believed to have been lost before it was discovered in a safe-deposit box last August.

Watchman doesn’t just complicate the legacy of a romanticized civil rights attorney; it also makes it harder to write an application letter to law school.

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C O U R T E S Y O F C R E AT I V E C O M M O N S

đ&#x;’ť FILM & TV 12 Angry Men (1957)

BEST COURTROOM DRAMAS ON THE SCREEN ➥ CHRIS

BERG, @MUSHROOMER25

Twelve Angry Men Sometimes a classic is held in high esteem for a simple reason: it’s worth the hype. Twelve Angry Men has been around for nearly 60 years, having been adapted and revised many times. Yet Sidney Lumet’s 1957 original still stands out as the mustsee version. And why wouldn’t it? Angry Men may be shot in black and white and dense with 50s culture, but the questions it asks are eternally relevant. Twelve jurors sit in a room and weigh the fate of a young man accused of murder. It’s a film entirely set in a single location, propelled by the performances of a simply excellent script.

The Devil’s Advocate There’s a longstanding stereotype in American culture that lawyers are evil, often the perpetrators of the unjust rules that society writes. It’s a practice that makes many question their morals, and make so-called “deals with the Devil.� Enter The Devil’s Advocate. This is a fantastically odd film hidden in a deceptively bland wrapper. The film looks into the life of rising small town lawyer Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) as he’s recruited by John Milton (Al Pacino) to work for one of NYC’s most prestigious firms. However, Lomax soon finds himself torn between family, career and his own moral center as the stakes rise. As the title may suggest, the film is heavy with religious symbolism, building into a triumphantly mad climax. Reeves and Pacino are iconic actors with distinct styles, each pushed to the peak of intensity. It’s a gorgeously shot film, which you can’t often say about this genre.

P H O T O G R A P H C O U R T E S Y O F C R E AT I V E C O M M O N S

The Lincoln Lawyer It wasn’t too long ago that Matthew McConaughey was a punchline. Former star of countless romantic comedies, mostly known for refusing to wear a shirt. It wasn’t until 2011’s The Lincoln Lawyer that he commanded mainstream respect as an actor by taking on the role of defense attorney Mick Haller. He’s a street-wise attorney brought on by a high-profile client to get him out of an attempted murder charge. McConaughey’s confident, yet nuanced performance leads an outstanding ensemble cast — including Micheal Pena, William H Macy, and Marisa Tomei. The legal process is often dense with mind games and moral landmines, which this film weaves into a dynamite watch. The Lincoln Lawyer is a sharply directed legal drama with an engaging script that fits the mold.

➥ THOMAS

DAL PINO

My Cousin Vinny We like to think of trial lawyers as cool and collected, but anyone who’s been in a courtroom knows that it’s not as easy as it looks. That’s why Joe Pesci’s gleefully vulgar performance in My Cousin Vinny remains as funny as it was thirty years ago. What exasperated lawyer hasn’t wanted to just tell the jury, “Uh‌ Everything that guy just said is bullshitâ€?? The film pits Vinny Gambini, a New York-bred, night-schooled lawyer, against the stuffy formality of Southern courts using a clever fish-out-of-water twist on the classic American courtroom film. By toeing the line between farce and drama, My Cousin Vinny is able to offer sharp critiques of legal procedure while simultaneously telling a compelling underdog story. While it doesn’t get points for legal accuracy, it has heart, and Vinny’s ultimate victory is all the sweeter for it.

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University Health Center Hours THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4 Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

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Law Student When closed, call our Nurse Advice Line at 541-346-2770 or visit our website.

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HOUSEHOLD MUST HAVES

There are plenty of things every household needs: toilet paper, plates, utensils, etc.

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Sure, it might be easy to just stick that last slice of pizza in the fridge with nothing but a plate to keep it from touching the grates, but covering your food in aluminum foil allows you to keep your foodstuffs from exchanging odors while they co-habitate. What’s more, foil serves a greater purpose. You know those pesky stove burners that get all mucked up every single time some of your breakfast lands on them? Well, if you line the stove covers with foil, it makes for easy cleaning: Just pull the burner off and replace the foil when it gets dirty.

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If you’ve never used one of Mr. Clean’s Magic Erasers, you’ve been cleaning the hard way. The abrasive but semi-gentle surface takes care of most tougher stains, such as those you might inflict on a countertop when cooking up your own spaghetti sauce. If you’ve got white walls — odds are that you do — Magic Erasers work wonders on a stain or otherwise unsightly blemish. It’s the melamine foam that does the heavy lifting here. Magic Erasers have been known to remove crayon, scuff marks, even magic marker stains.

PLUNGER It’s an easy item to overlook until you really need it. And the most common situation that you’ll want a plunger in is one you wouldn’t want to find yourself in. Again, the plunger comes in handy in other places other than the porcelain throne room. Appliances with thin metal outsides, such as dishwashers and ovens, can sometimes suffer blunt force trauma during parties or because of rambunctious shenanigans. Applying your plunging expertise to the resulting dents can help even out the surface, again protecting you against unnecessary security deposit subtractions.

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CAN OPENER It’s pretty sad to see a couple of grown men trying to open a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli without a can opener. It’s best to avoid the sight and get one as soon as you move into your new place, if not before. But it’s not just because of its utility as a way to get to access your food. You know those pesky plastic cases most smaller electronics come in, such as headphones and video game controllers? Guess what’s just about perfect for freeing those gadgets for your use? Yep. Just pretend that brand new video game controller is a fruit cocktail just dying to get out of that Del Monte can.

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RENTER’S INSURANCE

IT’S WORTH THE COST

Personal property protection covers the cost of replacing items stolen from the property, destroyed in a property accident (such as fire or natural disaster), stolen from a vehicle and even stolen luggage while on vacation.

Renter’s insurance is a smart choice for students living in rental homes or apartments. For about a dollar per day, renter’s insurance protects the personal property of a renter, as well as offering liability coverage in case of an injury lawsuit. This can mean the difference between having money for next week’s happy hour and breaking the bank to pay out of pocket for accidental, unavoidable calamities.

While shopping for an insurance policy, it is important to note the difference between cash value coverage and replacement cost coverage. Cash value coverage pays out the current value of an object, factoring in depreciating value with age. On the other hand, replacement cost coverage will reimburse the owner’s cost of replacing a stolen or damaged good, no matter how old, with a brand new one.

Most students living in the residence halls have insurance coverage as an extension of their parents’ homeowner’s policies.

However, moving off-campus disqualifies students from hitching a free ride on their parents’ insurance plans and makes finding a renter’s insurance policy imperative for financial security and peace of mind.

Depending on policy and insurance company, renter’s insurance can extend from covering basic domestic losses to providing payment for losses outside of the home. For example, Nationwide’s renter’s insurance will help cover medical costs for anyone injured on the tenant’s property, and Esurance offers coverage for personal goods stolen outside of the home and reimbursement for hotel costs in case of property destruction.

Dambach said renter’s insurance can even extend to covering property damage caused by a policyholder’s children or pets.

According to local Farmers Insurance Agent Christine Dambach, basic renter’s insurance consists of two parts: liability coverage and personal property protection. Liability insurance protects tenants from legal fees emanating from lawsuits regarding accidental injury at the policyholder’s property and can extend to cover accidental damages that a policyholder causes in someone else’s home as well. Personal property protection covers the cost of replacing items stolen from the property, destroyed in a property accident (such as fire or natural disaster), stolen from a vehicle and even stolen luggage while on vacation.

Renter’s insurance rates vary from agency to agency and according to policy, but the general price usually falls somewhere in the vicinity of $150-200 a year. Considering the average values of laptops, textbooks and personal goods, both experts agree that is a small price to pay for security.

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Nightstand Makeover Spray-painting is often considered the easiest and simplest way to update a piece of furniture. However, spraypainting is not always so simple and easy. Whenever you’re considering a do-it-yourself project that involves spraypainting furniture, it is important to know all the facts before diving in. Below is a step-bystep guide to spray-painting a wooden nightstand:

1. PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING Make sure that the surface you are spraying is clean, dry and has a texture that will allow the paint to stick. To ensure that the paint will stick, run some mediumto fine-grit sandpaper all over the piece. When using the sandpaper, don’t apply too much pressure because you may put grooves into the wood. Once you have sanded, make sure to wipe off all of the dust so that surface is not covered with grit.

2. READY TO PRIME After wiping off all of the dust from sanding, it’s time to apply primer. Following the shake instructions on your spray paint can (Krylon is a good option), start spraying about a foot away from the surface. Spray in a specific pattern, such as left-to-right, to prevent random deposits of primer. Allow the top surfaces to dry completely before spraying the underside.

3. READY TO PAINT After the primer has dried, you are ready to paint. Simply repeat step 2, but this time with your desired paint color. After allowing it to dry, your updated furniture piece is ready to be used.

TESTING YOUR DIY SKILLS If you are looking for a Martha Stewart-status DIY project, use painter’s tape as a way to add pattern. Painter’s tape is similar to a stencil because it can outline your desired pattern.

However, be forewarned that some patterns are more difficult than others. But no matter what pattern you decide, the final product will be well worth the extra time and effort.

After you’ve taped out your pattern, spray all over your piece. The final step is peeling off the tape. Let the paint dry completely. The urge to peel off the tape is hard to resist, but premature peeling can result in a not-so-pretty finished product.

So wait patiently, slowly peel off the tape, step back and admire your wonderful new nightstand.

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Priming will make the paint appear brighter and richer. While priming may not seem necessary for furniture pieces that are in light color, it is always better to err on the side of caution when spray-painting furniture.

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MATERIALS: • Sandpaper • Spray paint primer • Spray paint (1 – 2 cans, depending on size) • Painters’ tape

WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • GRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & DRYER IN UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING POOL • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TO-MONTH OR TERM-LEASE AGREEMENT • BIKE STORAGE • STAINLESS APPLIANCES • PATIO • GREEN DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE • GYM FITNESS CENTER • FREE WI-FI • FREE OFF STREET PARKING • PET FRIENDLY • TANNING FREE ON SITE • COMMUNITY ROOM • FENCED YARD • FULLY APPLIANCED • AIR CONDITIONING • DECK WITH POND VIEW • WATER VIEW • UTILITIES INCLUDED • PRIVATE ENTRY • HEATED SWIMMING POOL • WALK-IN CLOSET • MICROWAVE • SKYLIGHTS • AGE ROOM • SECTION 8 • CLOSE TO SHOPPING • WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • GRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & DRYER IN UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING POOL • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TOMONTH OR TERM-LEASE AGREEMENT • LARGE HOUSES • STAINLESS APPLIANCES • PATIO • GREEN DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE • GYM FITNESS CENTER • FREE WI-FI • FREE OFF STREET PARKING • PET FRIENDLY • TANNING FREE ON SITE • COMMUNITY ROOM • FENCED YARD • FULLY APPLIANCED • AIR CONDITIONING • DECK WITH POND VIEW • WATER VIEW • UTILITIES INCLUDED • PRIVATE ENTRY • HARDWOOD FLOORS • WALK-IN CLOSET MICROWAVE • SKYLIGHTS • BICYCLE STORAGE ROOM • SECTION 8 • CLOSE TO SHOPPING • WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • GRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TO-MONTH DRYER IN UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING POOL When you rent from Jennings Group you knowOR youTERM-LEASE AGREEMENT • LARGE HOUSES DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE • GYM FITNESS CENTER • FREE WI-FI • • STAINLESS APPLIANCES • PATIO • GREEN can expect quality properties, professional service FREE OFF STREET PARKING • PET FRIENDLY • TANNING FREE ON SITE • COMMUNITY ROOM • FENCED YARD • FULLY APPLIANCED and a• WATER responsive staff for all yourINCLUDED rental needs VIEW • UTILITIES • PRIVATE ENTRY • HARDWOOD FLOORS • WALK• AIR CONDITIONING • DECK WITH POND VIEW IN CLOSET MICROWAVE • SKYLIGHTS • BICYCLE STORAGE ROOM • SECTION 8 • CLOSE TO SHOPPING • WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE • NEW 24/7•emergency maintenance response GRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & DRYER IN UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND • TERM-LEASE Easy online payments and access to your AGREEMENT • LARGE HOUSES • STAINLESS APPLIANCES • PATIO • GREEN POOL • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TO-MONTH OR • GYM FITNESS CENTER • FREE WI-FI • FREE OFF STREET PARKING • PET FRIENDLY DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE rental account • TANNING FREE ON SITE • COMMUNITY ROOM • FENCED YARD • FULLY APPLIANCED • AIR CONDITIONING • DECK • LARGE HOUSES • • Excellent tenant service WATER VIEW • UTILITIES INCLUDED • PRIVATE ENTRY • HARDWOOD FLOORS • WALK-IN CLOSET • MICROWAVE • SKYLIGHTS • BICYCLE • Expert• WALK and experienced property TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • STORAGE ROOM • SECTION 8 • CLOSE TO SHOPPING company UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING POOL • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TO-MONTH OR TERMGRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & DRYER INmanagement LEASE AGREEMENT • STAINLESS APPLIANCES •• PATIO Local• GREEN DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE • WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • GRANITE COUNTERTOPS • WASHER & DRYER IN UNITS • HEATED SWIMMING WWW.JENNINGSGROUP.COM | 541-683-2271 AGREEMENT • BIKE STORAGE • STAINLESS APPLIANCES • PATIO • GREEN POOL • GATED ACCESS • MONTH-TO-MONTH OR TERM-LEASE DESIGN LIVING • ON BUS LINE • VIEWS • FIREPLACE • GYM FITNESS CENTER • FREE WI-FI • FREE OFF STREET PARKING • PET FRIENDLY • TANNING FREE ON SITE • COMMUNITY ROOM • FENCED YARD • FULLY APPLIANCED • AIR CONDITIONING • DECK WITH POND VIEW • WATER VIEW • UTILITIES INCLUDED • PRIVATE ENTRY • HEATED SWIMMING POOL • WALK-IN CLOSET • MICROWAVE • SKYLIGHTS •AGE ROOM • SECTION 8 • CLOSE TO SHOPPING • WALK TO CAMPUS • PRIVATE BEDROOMS • AFFORDABLE RENTS • BRAND NEW • D U C K S H O U S I N G — S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N — M O N D AY, A U G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 P A G E 7

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FIND YOUR HOME

Break the Mold FIGHTING OREGON’S MUSTY INTRUDER

Maladies caused by mold are more common for people living in humid or damp environments, which, if you hadn’t noticed, includes Eugene.

The good news is that mold is easy to identify and rectify.

Mold generally appears on surfaces as colored spots and can smell musty. The Centers for Disease Control warns that if you see or smell mold, a hazard to your health may be present. The CDC urges removing the growth immediately, regardless of the type of mold.

Exposure to dank and moldy environments may cause a variety of adverse health effects.

A 2004 Institute of Medicine report found there is sufficient evidence to link indoor mold growth to upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing and wheezing in healthy children. Mold can also lead to more severe symptoms for asthmatics and others who are susceptible to airborne irritants.

The CDC recommends controlling mold growth by keeping the humidity level in your home between 30 percent and 60 percent, and using air-conditioners or dehumidifiers during humid months and in damp spaces like basements. People should have proper ventilation in shower, laundry and cooking areas; promptly fix leaky roofs, windows and pipes; and thoroughly clean and dry any floor after flooding.

It may seem like common sense, but if mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or bleach solution. The CDC lists additional mold prevention tips on its website.

If you’re a renter having mold problems and feel ill-equipped to handle them yourself, Eugene’s Rental Housing Code requires certain standards from landlords and property managers in the area. City Code Enforcer Mark Tritt said the city concerns itself with two areas that relate to mold growth: plumbing and weatherproofing. If mold in your house or apartment is caused by faulty plumbing or leaks from substandard weatherproofing, the property owner could be liable for fixing the problem.

“The presence of significant visible mold may be a symptom of faulty plumbing,” according to a Rental Housing Code brochure. “However, the presence of mold by itself is not a violation for purposes of sections 8.400 through 8.440 of this code.”

Tritt’s message for Eugene renters worried about mold is to be aware of your own actions — as well as the actions of your roommates.

“Some examples of lifestyle behaviors that could contribute to mold growth are not using ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom, cooking or boiling water, aquariums, (or) a large number of houseplants,” Tritt said. “While mold may occur in these types of environments, because there may not be a plumbing or weatherproofing issue, the rental code may not be able to address the complaint.”

But all cases are different, and should a mold issue fall outside of the city’s jurisdiction, Dana Mills, director of the University Health Center, recommended Environmental Health and Safety on campus for any students with questions or concerns involving airborne hazards such as mold.

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How to Play it

SAFE

in Your New Home Living with your parents, you probably didn’t have to remember to lock the door behind you or stash your valuables. But entering the dorms or your own apartment, you need to take extra precautions to ensure your belongings stay safe.

“Property crime is definitely a concern in near-campus neighborhoods, since many thieves will keep an eye out for easy targets,” University of Oregon Police Department spokesman Kelly McIver said. “Students usually have laptops, TVs, game systems and other valuables, and can be lax about shutting and locking windows and doors.”

Many people forget to lock the door or think the neighborhood to be safe enough to leave it unlocked for a couple of hours. But why risk it? Imagine expecting to come home to finish a paper you’ve almost perfected only to find someone’s made off with your laptop.

Take the extra minute or two and think about where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone. When you’re walking into your dorm hall, make sure you won’t be letting a stranger in without knowing it. Students are often so sucked into technology that they don’t hear or see the world around them. Taking out your ear buds and looking away from your iPhone for a minute or two isn’t going to kill you.

Communities are safest when members look out for each other: report any suspicious activity or unauthorized strangers immediately to on-site property managers or residence hall staff. On campus, report suspicious conditions to UOPD at 541-346-2919.

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TIPS TO INCREASE SAFETY ON AND OFF CAMPUS: • Report criminal activity (such as a break-in or intruder, robbery or assault) immediately to 9-1-1 (on or off-campus).

• Report past crimes or other nonemergency situations on campus to UOPD at 541-346-2919; off-campus, to Eugene Police at 541-682-5111.

• Immediately report any malfunctioning doors or windows in your residence to the property managers or residence hall staff and insist the problem be corrected as soon as possible.

• In residence halls or secured apartment complexes, do not let in strangers, do not allow strangers to enter behind you as a courtesy, and do not lend out keys. In residence halls, do not throw keys to others out of a window.

• Only open the front door of a residence to someone you know or trust.

• Keep doors and windows locked and make sure that all roommates agree to not loan out keys.

• In houses and apartments, keep window curtains or shades closed when away, and don’t leave valuables in sight (or near open windows).

• Consider renter’s insurance to help if property is stolen or damaged.

—University of Oregon Police Emerald Archives

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