10-3-22 Emerald Media Group - Monday Edition

a healthy, balanced work environment for staff and values the importance of culture and community.

health therapists

from

and committed team.

Daily Emerald

Reader Recommends

BY SARAH MATLICK

TV SHOW RECOMMENDATION:

“Abbot Elementary”

541.346.5511

X302

Shelly Rondestvedt

THE DAILY EMERALD

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

ON THE COVER

Sophomore running back Noah Whittington (22) continues to jump over Cougar defense in order to make a first down. University of Oregon Ducks Football defeat the BYU Cougars in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sep. 17, 2022. (Maddie Stellingwerf/ Emerald)

ONLINE

Most read story of the past week:

“Apartment fire displaces over 30 Eugene residents” by Ruby Abuhajleh

Summary: “Abbot Elementary” is a mockumentary sitcom about a group of devoted teachers in a struggling Philadelphia public school who are committed to ensuring their students succeed, according to IMDB. The ABC show, created by comedian, actress, writer and producer Quinta Brunson, is currently in its second season and won three Emmy awards last September.

Recommended by: Olivia Bennett, senior journalism and public relations student. “After a long day at school, coming home and turning on ‘Abbott Elementary’ is the perfect way to end my day. While the show has similar themes to shows like ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Rec,’ creator Quinta Brunson makes the show a standout. Each character has their own personality and quirks, and the show dives into the struggles of a public school in the Philadelphia area. This show truly deserves all the hype it is getting,” Bennett said.

Letter to the Editor

How do we solve Racism and Bigotry issues like we have just seen at the U of O BYU football game. I don’t want to waste money on an invesigation and punishment as we see across this country that does not work. Renaming buildings does not work. Hiding history does not work.

Believe it or not I think education works when thoughfull done and looking at all persepectives. So lets step back. If we are going to rename a building; lets to it with educational value. Don’t hide the history of what this first name meant, highlight the process of identifaction and the renaming process, and then add thoughtful information of how the old name effected student and how the new name will positively students understand.

Next if we have identified the Students at the BYU game then let them learn from a different perspective. In this case two or three sessions sitting with a football Coach and several players that might impact how they think in the future. I don’t mean running steps, taking hits or playing catch but actual straight conversation and the coaches and players requesting a letter of apology after these sessions are over to the President of BYU, the Football program, the BYU fan base and to their fellow students at the U of O.

This is a teachable moment, a time where growth can happen, and a better understanding of ourselves.

James Aiken History class of 81

(Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Second most-read new story in the past week:

“Growing Cedar Creek Wildfire displaces Oakridge area resident”

by Caleb Barber

Scan here or visit the Emerald’s social media to participate in our next Voices of UO. “Did you dress up or down for your first week of classes?”

We want to hear from you:

We want to hear from you: 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.

Plew/Emerald)

Voices of UO

(Caleb Barber/Emerald)

PUBLIC

Opposing sides of a movement to recall Eugene City Councilor Claire Syrett, environmental activists and community members against firework ban spoke at Monday’s Sept. 26 Eugene City Council meeting.

City council members thanked Syrett, who faces a recall after she voted in favor of the MovingAhead project that identified an area in her ward for bus-only lanes.

Supporters of the recall said the project would remove two car lanes and increase traffic congestion — and that bus ridership has decreased since 2012. Petitioners said they were angry Syrett “supports an EmX system not wanted and not responsive to new eco-friendly transportation alternatives.”

The Recall Claire Syrett campaign claimed on their website that Councilor Syrett “regularly dismissed their concerns and even denigrated them in personal terms.” The campaign also claimed that Syrett ignored notes and emails from her constituents regarding the MovingAhead project.

There were over 2,300 votes to remove her

Important topics of discussion included Eugene’s firework ban, climate accountability and Claire Syrett’s final days as acting Ward 7 councilor.

BY CALEB BARBER

compared to 1,600 votes to keep her.

Syrett made a statement contesting the fairness of her recall.

“This kind of anti-democratic strategy to undermine and remove duly elected public officials should raise alarms for all who care about our representative democracy, regardless of your political affiliation or ideological point of view,” Syrett said. “This is just a harbinger of a future in which elections truly won’t matter unless we take action to combat this strategy.”

Natalie Crowder and Richard Locke, president of the Eugene Business Alliance, two of the largest contributors to the Recall Claire Syrett campaign, also attended the public forum. The official cutoff date for officiating the recall vote is Oct. 3.

During the public forum portion of the meeting, two 4J high school students testified on behalf of the climate crisis, urging the City Council to take initiative in retrofitting buildings in Eugene to be less fossil fuel dependent.

Mason Tyler, a junior at North Eugene High School, said he hopes the Council continues to be proactive in supporting concrete policy to

decarbonize buildings in Eugene and mandating against the development of new natural-gas infrastructure.

“It’s felt like the efforts of our world leaders haven’t been enough,” Tyler said. “I hope for Oregon to be a leader in the fight for climate justice and the opportunity is here.”

Aya Cockram, coalition coordinator for the Fossil Free Eugene campaign, asked the Council to schedule a work session moving forward on a commercial electrification ordinance –– and that when the electrification ordinance is presented to Council, it is voted on to mandate all new residential buildings be all electric, starting June 1, 2023.

A majority of the community members who spoke during the public forum advocated against the fireworks ban. Statements against the ban included the ban would increase the demand for more dangerous illegal fireworks and would reduce revenue for local nonprofits who have historically depended upon fireworks sales.

The City Council successfully voted to ban the use of all fireworks in the city of Eugene.

KAVANAGH: DESANTIS IMMIGRATION STUNT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Opinion: Every day, the news cycle barrages us with stories of Republican politicians’ inflammatory choices. These extremists are taking us closer to a Christian nationalist state which must be prevented at all costs.

BY EMILY KAVANAGH

On Sept. 14, 48 Venezuelan migrants in San Antonio, Texas, were taken onto a chartered plane and flown to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. They had originally come to the U.S. to seek asylum. Though the migrants had been given promises of awaiting jobs and money, they were unceremoniously left in this affluent town of 15,000 people.

Behind this action, which has been described as a “sadistic immigration stunt” by Atlantic writer Tom Nichols, were the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott. In fact, sending a plane of vulnerable migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, a town that’s a known residence of the Obama family, and a playground for other wealthy liberals is only one check on a growing list of similar actions. Abbott has personally organized buses of migrants to be sent to the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris and cities such as Chicago. To fund these actions, the governors have used taxpayer

Unfortunately, we have seen this cycle of righteous outrage many times. Due to slow moving court systems and a lack of accountability for powerful people in general, nothing concrete ever sticks to such slippery politicians. For instance, similarly infamous Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz was cleared of all charges in a federal investigation into accusations of sex trafficking, despite credible evidence against him.

Taking advantage of migrants trying to start a new life is one of many cruel acts happening in the public eye. Americans have become desensitized toward the shift to authoritarian far-right rhetoric happening in the Republican party and by extension, our government. Through what they’re doing and saying, right-wing politicians are making their intentions clearer than ever.

EMILY KAVANAGH

money, including a $12 million Florida COVID-19 relief fund.

It amounts to using migrants as pawns with exceedingly cruel intentions. Ever since the rise of Trump, Republicans have become emboldened in their actions, fanning the flames of a long burning culture war into a blaze. People across the country are understandably angered by these actions and are pointing out the different potential ways the governors and those helping them broke laws.

Instead of drowning them out and dismissing Republican politicians’ maneuvers as crazy, it’s important to pay attention to what they’re trying to tell us. The rights and well-being of so many Americans are on the line, if not already at risk through a myriad of anti-immigration policies and the rollback of Roe v. Wade. DeSantis, Abbott and many others like them have carte blanche to exploit and cause the suffering of others to their advantage. Now, the role of DeSantis needs to be examined, especially with him gearing up for a 2024 presidential campaign largely reliant on appealing to Christian nationalism.

It is time to break the cycle of inaction in America before it is too late.

“TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MIGRANTS TRYING TO START A NEW LIFE IS ONE OF MANY CRUEL ACTS HAPPENING IN THE PUBLIC EYE.”

HOFFMAN: TEMPORARY DORM ESSENTIALS TURN

TO LASTING WASTE

Opinion: The excitement of moving into one’s college dormitory and settling into college life is overwhelming for most. The idea of being a sustainable college student is probable for few.

BY TRISTIN HOFFMAN (Lynette Slape/Emerald)

This fall ushered in 5,338 freshmen students on campus (a record breaking amount of incoming students), and many of them moved into University of Oregon’s on-campus dormitories. With them, they brought shower caddies, mini fridges, wall decor, power strips and more. These essentials can help make the transition to college life easier and more comfortable by creating a safe, pleasant environment. The problem is: most of these products are used only during the nine months of dorm living and spend the rest of their days in a landfill after move out day.

I was that wasteful freshman too just a few months ago. Ashamedly, I threw out my plastic toothbrush container and plastic soap container at the end of my dorm days, wondering why I bought them in the first place — not to mention the shower shoes and storage containers meant only for my dorm; so many items have been lost to the wastemountains.

As I prepared to purchase housing products for my apartment over the summer, I figured out I went about decorating my dorm room all wrong. I

could have kept the same comfortability while still being sustainable. I should have thought before purchasing, shopped secondhand or researched sustainable brands to buy from. Now I apply this knowledge to almost everything I purchase… but I believe I can speak for a lot of students out there when I say that at the time I just didn’t know how to be sustainable.

According to Planet Aid, the “average college student produces 640 pounds of trash annually,” with a “significant spike in the amount of solid waste” — furniture, knick-knacks, temporarily used items, etc. — “on college campuses specifically during the months of May and June.”

This spike points to an average of 230 tons of waste produced within the two months when college students move out of their living spaces during the typical school year. Now imagine this amount of waste every year, across every campus. That’s just trash — a lot of it.

Ruby Mulgrew, a junior at UO, just moved into Kappa Alpha Theta’s sorority house. After a year break from living in the dorms, she ran

into some issues with having to purchase “dorm essentials” again.

“I didn’t keep any of my products. I dumped my shower caddy because it was disgusting and was never going to use it again,” Mulgrew said. “I also got rid of my mattress topper because I couldn’t lug it back home for the summer either.”

Now that she’s living in a sorority — a situation similar to dorm life — Mulgrew needed to repurchase everything she’d already disposed of. As she was talking to other members of her chapter, she found out that “the juniors of the [sorority house] had to re-buy everything [as well] because they didn’t know they were going to join a sorority in college.”

Mulgrew believes such issues with dormitory sustainability can be easily fixed.

“University of Oregon should set up a donation bin and store it over the summer, then offer [the items] to new students who move in,” Mulgrew said. Tuition is already expensive. And when additionally paying for food, housing and cleaning products, the money adds up just as quickly as trash does.

The Zero Waste Program at UO has seen this issue across campus for a while now. Founded in 1990, the program seeks to reduce waste across campus and has some guidelines for students on sorting trash. While these guidelines are great, they could provide more information about different kinds of waste, such as personal items. Since the Zero Waste Program aims for literally zero waste, isn’t it about time to tackle what to do with dorm waste? What should students do with their shower caddies in June, for example?

As you move through the year (yes, literally moving in and out), remember the humbling fact that you might be that average college student producing 640 pounds of waste. I know I didn’t know that last year at this time. Keep your items for a little longer, give them to a friend who needs them or wait and see what products you truly need before purchasing. This will save you money and time – and it also helps reduce a lot of waste pollution.

University of Oregon students and their families stand in lengthy lines to enter Unthank hall on move in day, September 23, 2021. University of Oregon students are preparing to resume in person activities across campus during fall term. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

DuckFest 2022 Staff

Special Sections

Leone

Photo

Valle

Sections

Isabella Albin Calista Espino Kelsie Heffernan

Special Sections Photographers

Calista Espino Sneha Chopra

Student Designers Mia Lee Palmer Krais

Student Sales Manager Amy Menendez Account Managers

Josh Delapina Keaton Roberts Maxwell Goldenberg Riley Jones

Emerald Media Group 1395 University St., #302 Eugene, OR, 97403 541.346.5511 dailyemerald.com

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald; the news organization was founded in 1900.

Business

Publisher & President Bill Kunerth bkunerthl@dailyemerald.com

VP Operations Kathy Carbone kcarbone@dailyemerald.com

Director of Sales Shelly Rondestvedt srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com

Creative & Technical Director Anna CK Smith creative@dailyemerald.com

Sierra S. Team Member since June 2022

in Human Physiology

From working at our counters to studying in the classroom; from directing our stores to cheering in the stands; the people we serve — the students — are the very people who are The Duck Store.

GAMEDAY GUIDE

By: Isabella Albin

I went to my first college football game full of excitement and naiveté. I had an idea of what I would be getting myself into, but little did I know that I still had a lot to learn. I may not be athletically gifted, but I’m a skilled fan. From me to you, here are some essential tips to make the most of football season!

The walk from campus to Autzen is about 30 minutes. Students will enter through the south gate across the street from the footpath. Once you are in Autzen, fans will be pouring in. The easiest way to have a good game day is to get to Autzen early. This will ensure that you’ll be able to find a spot in the student section. As the season continues to ramp up, tickets are often sold out which makes for a tightly packed crowd. There are a few essentials that will be useful at any major event. As a student you’ll most likely have your ticket on your phone. I like to have a picture or bring my student ID just in case. Sometimes it is easiest to go without a bag, but if you decide to bring one, Autzen has a clear bag policy. Keep this in mind! While it never rains in Autzen, it may in the surrounding areas. As fall quickly approaches, a rain jacket is a must. There are always little things you can do to make it better, but Duck games are always fun, even if you are a bit chilly.

As a fan what you wear is very important! Oregon football publishes many schedules, but the one fans need to keep in mind is the color schedule. This tells fans what color to wear at the game. This can be found on the Go Ducks website.

Once you know what color to wear, you can start building a collection of other fun accessories to show school spirit. Temporary tattoos, facepaint, hats, glasses and even overalls are popular amongst students. You can find these items at the Duck Store, online, The N.E.ST. and Hirons. If you want to fill your closet with vintage gear, check out some local thrift shops. Football fans know how to show their enthusiasm best and as a Duck this is an experience you won’t forget. Who knows, you might even see your face on the big screen.

When the game begins, an electricity spreads through the stadium. Fans, young and old, look forward to hearing the Autzen classics – “Shout!” and “Coming Home.” “Shout!” has a special place in the history of the University of Oregon. The song, by Otis Day & the Knights, was featured in the cult classic “Animal House,” which was filmed in Eugene. Since the release of the film in 1978, Nike Football recreated the movie scene with duck football legends. Fans sing along between the third and fourth quarter to rally the team. Another song that is almost synonymous with Autzen is “Coming Home (Oregon)”. While this is a newer song, it still resonates with fans because it is an ode to Oregon and duck football. These two songs encapsulate the excitement and tenderness that comes with attending the University of Oregon. After four seasons of football, these traditions will become second nature. And of course, don’t forget to throw your “O” Ducks!

AUTZEN STADIUM

DAVE AND LYNN FROHNMAYER BRIDGE

AUTZEN SCAVENGER HUNT

Written by: Isabella Albin

The walk to Autzen is paved with several amazing features. Here are five landmarks you cannot miss:

1. First stop, a hidden gem where you can find the best produce grown by students. Look for the steel artwork that names this place.

2. Not too far away you’ll see a bright, fruity mural. Can you find the artist’s message on the wall?

3. Next up is the Autzen Canal Bridge! While you’re on the bridge, see if you can spot ducks floating on the Willamette.

4. It might feel as though you’ve entered into a forest after you’ve crossed the bridge. Look for the information stand that holds the map.

5. Lastly, you might hear some barking! I promise it’s not excited fans, just the pups who frequent the dog park with the best view.

Don’t forget to take pictures along the way! Tag us in all 5 pictures by the 10th at @DailyEmerald on Instagram and @DailyEmerald on Twitter and you could win a prize!

STREET STREET

TALK T TALK

Advice for Freshman

“Time management is really key. If you have good time management you’ll be able to fit in everything you want to do.” - Bella

“Don’t take things too seriously, try to enjoy every moment you can and make the most of your first year.” - Ben

“Ask questions; from teachers, fellow classmates, if you want to go out with someone, or anything. As long as you have the courage to ask, you can do a lot.” - Liam

“Get in contact with your student advisor in your specific college because they know a lot more information about your track and line of graduation, and are really helpful!” - Kendall

“Make an effort to form a relationship and get to know your professors. No one really wants to go to office hours unless they’re struggling, but professors love it when you pop in and talk to them, and those connections can be big for you as you go on through college.” - Tanner

“Find out all the things you’re interested in and go after those things, whether its clubs or classes or anything like that, and stick with it.” - Makda

“Always stay safe. A lot of people like to party and have those college experiences but everything comes in its own time, so don’t rush into things and take it easy on yourself. Just enjoy the ride.” - Irene

By: Kelsie Heffernan

Popular Clubs

By: Calista Espino

As fall term commences on September 27, students will begin exploring extracurricular clubs that align with not only their schedules but also their interests. Being a part of an organization on campus is very beneficial, especially for incoming freshmen, for a variety of reasons. Some being mental health improvement, enhancing work ethics, and fundamental skills, as well as getting to know yourself.

Being in a club allows for students to take a breather from their classes whilst still getting an educational experience. Stress levels would most likely decrease because joining a club doesn’t reduce your full attention as a class would, nor is it something you’re instructed to take. Which means less weight on your shoulders.

Many students mentioned that they looked for clubs that correlated with their interests. Such as most of the classes they’re taking or the field they’re majoring in. Others also mentioned that some classes they were required to take weren’t interesting to them. So they joined clubs of their interest to compensate for those classes being taken.

I asked Emma Ziari, a senior and member of the Bahá’i Club, what clubs exactly caught her attention to join as a freshman and why.

She said, “When I met the first few members of the Baha’i club I wanted to be friends with them. They were so welcoming and kind. I was interested by the quality and depth of the friendship that I built with these people,”.

There are many clubs that are just for fun and allow for you to make friends; however, there are a plethora of clubs that benefit you workwise. These can help enhance resumes and create connections with well experienced people or even professionals. As many know, jobs love to know how you’ve been involved with your school and what you’ve learned while being in the club, and what skills you’ve acquired. These skills can range from teamwork, time management and reliability. All of this leads to increased knowledge and

experience which calls attention for employers.

Joining a club helps you find your community, people, and friends. If you attempt to try something new, like a club, you may discover new interests or hobbies that you may not have known you would enjoy. As a freshman with an undecided major, enrolling in clubs may spike an interest that helps lead to a career choice. Having people that encourage and help enhance your knowledge on the topic will allow for you to get a feel of the occupation.

The Hispanic Public Relations Student Association is a “Space for our Hispanic and Latino communities who share an interest in strategic communication to come together, network, and develop professional communication skills. You only need to have an interest in communication to join us,” according to their description on the University of Oregon’s organization website.

The English Undergraduate Organization describes themselves as, “A group of English majors and minors that promotes the study and enjoyment of language, literature, and writing at the University of Oregon,” on their website.

Both of these organizations were some top picks for the students that I had asked during the Week of Welcome. These organizations are also clearly educational yet fun and allow for students to build their resume or get help from their peers; however, being in a progressive club may not be for everyone. There were other students that stated they were joining clubs such as the Star Wars Club, Dance, Gaming Club, or other clubs that aren’t precisely educational but allowed for them to take a breather from their classes.

This year alone there are about 22,298 students attending the University of Oregon. Student life states that at the University of Oregon there are over 300 organizations. Each one is excited to offer both new and returning ducks the opportunity to explore new interests and grow.

Look at the turnout! Excited ducks fill the club fair, eager to learn more about all the different campus clubs.

The UO Hispanic Public Relations Student Association (or Unidos at UO) helps Hispanic and Latin-identifying students form connections and network within PR, as well as hosts community cultural events.

The English Undergraduate Organization is a great way for English, literature and writing stu dents to connect through English trivia nights, literary themed parties and an active book club!

Ducks After Dark promotes their upcoming movie night “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” which will be shown in the EMU Ballroom at 7:15pm on October 27th. Stop by for some fun games and free pizza!

The Duck Street Dance Club offers students and non-students alike dance workshops to learn some of their favorite moves, and can be found performing on campus and within the Eugene community.

Portland site visits, network with industry professionals,

opportunities

The UO LGBTQA3 Alliance welcomes incoming students The center offers opportunities for queer connection, student leadership and celebration as fall term 2022 begins.

BY CELESTE GRIFFITHS

If you’re frolicking around campus, looking for resources or opportunities to connect with other queer students at UO, the LGBTQA3 Alliance is the place to be.

UO’s LGBTQA3 has been bringing queer students together since 1969 and is the oldest LGBTQIA+ student-led organization on campus. Today, the student coordinators leading this year are excited to serve the queer community and welcome in more dazzling faces.

The LGBTQA3 is a space to land for many incoming queer students who have questions about where to find LGBTQIA+ resources or other support services on campus or broader Eugene and how to navigate them. Elsa Spaulding, the QA3’s education and activism coordinator, said students are welcome to come into the center and ask any questions they might have.

“We have a lot of queer students just walk into our office [and] say, ‘Hey, I’m queer; I’m here. I’m facing this problem. I don’t know how to fix it. Can you put me in the right direction? Or can you be the first point of contact to start this process,’” Spaulding said.

The LGBTQA3 student coordinators are available to guide students to a multitude of resources the UO offers from medical and mental health services, gender affirming support, to groups in Eugene like TransPonder, a local nonprofit that supports transgender and gender diverse people.

“Even just in this past week, I’ve had people coming in asking about starting estrogen, trying to find a new binder, trying to change their name on all their school documents,” Spaulding said. “So these are all logistical things that no one necessarily tells you how to do, where you might know that the resources are at school, but you might not know how to find them.”

If you’re looking to join up with other queer people on campus, the LGBTQA3 has heaps of events planned to introduce new students or those who haven’t connected with the community before.

“A lot of the people who come to the meetings are underclassmen, and it’s their first time being away from home and being out of their parents’ house and being themselves to an extent,” Sisi Husing, the QA3’s small event coordinator, said. “Creating a space where people who are coming into themselves feel safe and comfortable is really important.”

Be sure to let everyone know you’re booked for Oct. 3 from 6 to 7 p.m. for the alliance’s first meeting of the school year in the EMU. These general meetings are held every Tuesday in the Lease Crutcher Lewis room.

Spaulding expressed they want to incorporate more queer history into general meetings to educate students who might not have been able to learn about the community in a safe space.

“I think that what makes me excited is the opportunity to not only validate members of our community, but also show them that we’ve always been here, and we’ve been fighting for our well being and the continued improvement of our circumstances,” Spaulding said.

Aside from general meetings, the LGBTQA3 hosts different identity subgroup meetings, including Queer Trans and Intersex Students of Color, the Lesbian Legion and more. Husing and sophomore and large events coordinator Mariana Marquez lead the Lesbian Legion, which they started winter of this past year. The Legion meets every Monday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. .

Additionally, the LGBTQA3 is currently hiring for student leadership positions and encourage anyone interested to apply. The alliance is looking for an outreach coordinator, which manages the QA3’s social media platforms and facilitates collaboration with other clubs on campus, Spaulding said.

This year, the center is also reintroducing internship positions that allow for

LGBTQA3 works to provide a safe space for the queer community on campus by providing resources and hosting events year-round. The LGBTQA3 center on the first floor of the EMU is open MondayFriday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Emerald Archives)

queer students to gain upper division college credits and leadership experience. They are looking to hire multiple candidates interested in community building and facilitating events centered on queerness.

“I really want our interns to feel like they are getting the kind of experience that they want out of this position,” Spaulding said. “Because of that, I’m willing to be pretty flexible about what duties are. Or, if anybody has a project that they would really love to see the QA3 use some of its funding to contribute to or to follow through on, I would love to have an intern who has big, big ambitions for the QA3 and is willing to take that on,” Spaulding said.

Marquez shared how she has grown from her leadership position after deciding to go for it on a whim her freshman year.

“I feel like in the beginning, I was really timid and shy. And I was like, ‘I’m not gonna be able to do this.’ But now this year, I’m like, ‘No, I got this. I’m gonna be just fine,’” Marquez said. “Plus, having the moral support of my staff members and also being friends with each other helps a lot. We’re able to bounce off each other and say ‘Hey, can you take this off my plate,’ or vice versa, and it’s really nice, having that bond with each other.”

Husing also explained how their involvement with the QA3 in the past year has better connected them with their queerness and to other people who are welcoming and understanding.

“I think the last year has really helped me become comfortable with being queer,” Husing said. “I am [from] a small town. Ever since I showed up here, I feel like it’s been the first time I’ve been around people who I didn’t have to constantly over explain my situation to them –– or I didn’t feel like I was being asked invasive questions. The people I’ve met, they automatically knew where I was at.”

As this fall term begins, the QA3 is looking forward to connecting incoming students to all it has to offer. This October, the coordinators are discussing potential ideas for queer Halloween events and will be releasing more information about when all of the identity subgroups will be meeting this term.

To find more information regarding applications for the 2022-2023 leadership positions and club meeting details, follow the LGBTQA3 center Instagram at @ lgbtqa3. If you want to check out the center in person, it is located in the EMU on the first floor and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COVER

STUDENT SECTION CHANTS GARNER COMMUNITY

REACTION, CONDEMNATION

BY CALEB BARBER

Derogatory chants about opposing teams at the University of Oregon’s football games are commonly heard from the student section.

But UO made national headlines after videos recorded of students shouting “Fuck the Mormons” at a football game against Brigham Young University.

“Religious bigotry alive and celebrated in Oregon,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox Tweeted in response to the video.

BYU, which was founded and named after religious leader Brigham Young in 1875, is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Almost 99% of BYU students are Mormon, according to BYU’s Y Facts page from 2014.

“The university apologizes for the despicable chants made by some University of Oregon fans at today’s football game with Brigham Young University,” Kris Winter, interim vice president for the Division of Student Life at the University of Oregon, wrote in a statement. “There is no place for hate, bias or bigotry at the University of Oregon. These actions are simply unacceptable. We will investigate, and we call on our students and campus community to refuse to accept or tolerate this type of behavior.”

The Oregon Pit Crew’s Twitter, the official Twitter account for the UO student section, apologized for the actions of the students and said it does not condone religious hate speech and is ashamed of those who

participated.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown reTweeted an apology from UO’s Twitter account.

“In Oregon, we strive to be a welcoming, inclusive state to all, regardless of race, religion, gender, or background,” Brown said. “Our state and nation have an ugly history of discrimination and bigotry. The chant at yesterday’s Oregon-BYU game was unacceptable. We must do better.”

Before the game began, BYU’s football team set a bouquet of flowers down at the 4 yard line to

honor former UO tight end Spencer Webb, who died from a head injury in July. BYU players also ran a flag with Webb’s jersey number, 18, onto the field.

Interim President Patrick Phillips mentioned BYU’s honoring of Webb in his statement condemning the chants, which he said were an attack on all members of the local community.

“There are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on our own football team, and we know there were members of that

Locals and beyond respond to anti-Mormon chants heard during the UO v. BYU game.

An entrance into Autzen stadiums field, full of fans from both teams in the stands. University of Oregon Ducks Football defeat the BYU Cougars in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sep. 17, 2022. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

faith wearing green and yellow sitting right next to those chanting on Saturday,” Phillips said.

“How did they feel in that moment? I hope that everyone will reflect on the reality that, what may seem like a lark to some, tells someone else in our community that they are not welcome –– and that they should be afraid based on who they are and what they believe.”

Rod Carter, a professor and department chair at Linn-Benton Community College, was seated in section 12 in Autzen when he heard the chanting. Carter said he attended games frequently as an undergraduate, but he couldn’t remember a time when school spirit manifested itself in such a particularly ignorant and hurtful way.

Carter said the crowd sitting around him in that section, composed mostly of older people, became visibly upset at the anti-Mormon chant. Carter said he felt a sense of shame from the crowd because the students who were cheering for their university were acting so disrespectfully toward their opponents.

“The students who were seated next to the students chanting are complicit,” Carter said.

Carter said he didn’t think tracking down and disciplining the students responsible for starting the chant was necessary, but visibility of the issue was just as important.

Carter wrote a letter to the editor of the Emerald about the incident:

“The BYU teams runs onto the field bearing a flag

in tribute to Spencer Webb. The student response is to chant an obscenity directed at members of the Mormon Church. Congratulation [sic] members of the ‘Pit Crew.’ You’ve demonstrated to the world that religious bigotry is alive and well in Eugene. Every thinking person should be ashamed of what happened that afternoon.”

University of Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning and athletic director Rob Mullens both publicly condemned the behavior after the game.

“I know our athletic director Rob [Mullens] got to reach out to Tom [Holmoe], their AD there at BYU, and express our frustration and also apologize for the behavior of a few that really puts a cloud over a great group and a really fun situation for our players and our fans on Saturday,” Lanning said at a press conference on Sept. 19.

“There’s no room for that in our stadium, and anybody that’s going to partake in that doesn’t need to be in our stadium,” Lanning said.

Kundai Kapurara is a UO student who attended the game against BYU. She said, in her experience, the general competitiveness of games brings out intense school spirit but not usually to the extent where student chants become overtly hateful.

The student section is no stranger to making up creative chants, though it’s not typically intended to be overtly hateful or intolerant, Kapurara said.

“Some chants will just kind of disperse and dissolve through the crowd, but that one was said a number of times,” Kapurara said. “I was surprised

because in 2022 I wouldn’t expect to hear that.”

It wasn’t the whole student body who was chanting along, and it wasn’t a significant number of people, but the phrase was still able to be heard throughout the stadium, Kapurara said.

Last year, University of Southern California students shouted the same chant at a November football game against BYU. In a Tweet, the athletics department said the chants were distasteful and apologized to BYU.

In late August, BYU came under fire after Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson wrote in a Tweet that her team and she were “targeted and racially heckled their entire match” by BYU students.

Richardson said this is not the first instance of racially motivated harassment from the stands; this was one instance in many.

BYU Athletics apologized and banned a fan accused of shouting a racial slur from attending future BYU sporting events. However, a statement from BYU athletics said it conducted an investigation and did not find any evidence that BYU fans engaged in racial heckling or said racial slurs. BYU lifted the ban on the fan and apologized.

The Emerald reached out to representatives for the Church of Latter Day Saints in Eugene to comment on the student community response to the chant. The church had no official statement to put out regarding the issue.

So far, UO has not released any information about discipling students for the chants.

Ducks senior wide receiver Chase Cota rushes through a grouping of Cougar defense. University of Oregon Ducks Football defeat the BYU Cougars in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sep. 17, 2022. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

SPORTS

THE GROWTH OF HOCKEY IN EUGENE

With hockey season right around the corner, the Ducks are on the rise and it’s time to pay attention.

Did you know that Oregon has a hockey team?

A lot of people around Eugene asked that question last year.

For the longest time, the Ducks’ hockey team was only familiar to people who had connections to athletes on the team or were fanatics of the sport. Despite being founded in 1989, it has remained a club sport. The university offers 40 different club sports, so it was easy for the team to get lost in the mix.

“The crowd was mostly friends, family and some people who saw posters around,” Jimmy Gagan, a forward for the Ducks hockey team, said. “In the beginning of the year, COVID restrictions made us unable to use locker rooms, and we had to spend intermissions and get dressed out in the open.”

Hockey has never been a big sport on the West Coast. The closest teams to Eugene are the Seattle Kraken, which only arrived a year ago, and the Portland Winterhawks, a junior hockey team that is a part of the Western Hockey League in Canada. But that doesn’t stop the state of Oregon from being a unique market.

The Winterhawks are in a non-traditional hockey market. They play in a Canadian league, and they’ve had one of the best attendance records across that league every year. They’re proving that hockey has potential in Oregon.

It wasn’t until the 2021-22 season that Oregon hockey stopped being a hidden gem. Athletes among other sports, such as former Oregon women’s basketball standout Nyara Sabally and the late Spencer Webb, would post pictures wearing its team jerseys. Its posts read: “Oregon is a hockey school”

It’ll take some getting used to, but it’s a movement that grew so popular that jerseys were back ordered by five months due to popular demand.

“It was really cool, but also very natural because with so many of our guys being involved around campus, many people found out about our team from meeting us in person or mutals,” Gagan said. “They found a fascination with hockey.”

Once the Ducks started to gain popularity, the games sold out quickly. To end the 2022 season, Oregon played two outdoor games against Boise State at the Pavilion in Bend, Oregon. Tickets ranged from $20 for general admission to $2,000 for a luxury suite.

Fans spent a lot of money to endure the cold that comes with an outdoor hockey game in January, but it was worth it to watch the Ducks sweep the Broncos.

“Playing at the Pavillion in Bend is one of my favorite experiences I’ve ever had playing hockey,” Gagan said. “The environment was so

cool, and all of the excitement of the crowd that sold out excited us more than imaginable while playing. When the schedule came out this year, I immediately checked to see if we were able to play there again.”

After spending many years at American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II and winning five Pac-8 championships, they were approved to move up to Division I.

Now, with the new season starting with a ton of momentum and excitement, Oregon recently announced its new head coach Kyler Moore along with general manager Craig Thornton.

Thornton came to Eugene after spending some time in Las Vegas with the Golden Knights, an NHL expansion team that first played in 2018 and made it to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season –– the first time an NHL team has done that.

“I was very fortunate to be involved with the Golden Knights organization from day one,” Thornton said. “I got to watch an NHL franchise grow from the ground up, literally the first shovels in the ground to an incredible run in their inaugural season with going to the Stanley Cup Final. I’ve been blessed to have been mentored by some of the upper management of the organization, and I’ve learned so much. I have been blessed with incredible mentorship preparing me for this journey with the Oregon Ducks as we commence our own inaugural season in Division I play.”

Coach Moore brings a lot to the table as the Ducks prepare for the new level of competition. He grew up playing youth AAA hockey in Colorado before upgrading his career to the

BY NINA-GRACE MONTES

Bellingham Blazers, a junior team in the Northern Pacific Hockey League which is an affiliate of USA Hockey. Moore furthered his career at the University of Mary in North Dakota where he compiled 163 goals in four years and won two ACHA National Championships.

“Moore brings the attitude and passion that has driven Oregon sports for decades,” Thornton said. “We look forward to his leadership representing the Ducks in the ACHA M1 Division.”

Oregon kicks off their season Oct. 7 at home against Arizona State. Fans and the university are ready to get behind the glass and cheer on the mighty Ducks, and the team feels ready.

“If you look at the university in a broader spectrum, there’s such a diversity to it,” Moore said. “If you look at all the sports on campus, they have always shown support. From looking at that aspect, it has shown that there’s an excitement because everyone wants to be aboard. I’m really excited about it, and I know the team is too.”

In order to make the team more accessible to fans, it has spent several months working with Duck Rides, a student-led organization dedicated to providing free rides to students. This partnership allows the team to shuttle fans from campus to the rink during home games. The shuttles will start picking up students at 5:30 p.m on East 13th Avenue, right across from the Duck Store.

“We felt like this was a very important addition to include all UO students needing transportation to our games,” Thornton said. “Oregon hockey is taking off; it’s time to join the excitement.”

Jimmy Gagan (16) gets ready to recieve a pass in front of his opposing teammate. Oregon Ducks play San Diego State Aztecs on a cold October night. (Ali Watson/Emerald)