3-28-22 Emerald Media - Week of Welcome

MARCH 28, 2022 Week of Welcome

Emerald Media

GRADUATE EMPLOYEE

VOICES

GES SHARE THEIR COVID-19 TESTIMONIALS. A&C 7 HEALTHY HABITS FOR SPRING TERM PG 6

OPINION

SPORTS

NEWS

OREGON RESPONDS TO CANVAS IS THE SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW: QUARTERBACKS PG 17 INVASION OF UKRAINE PG 20 MIND-KILLER PG 8 M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 2 2

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FROM YOU

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

VOL. 123, ISSUE NO. 32

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WE URGE YOU TO VOTE YES FOR OSPIRG IN THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (ASUO) ELECTIONS TODAY.

BY Christie Clarke, OSPIRG Chapter Chair and student at the University of Oregon Over 50 years ago, students at the University of Oregon founded OSPIRG Students, an organization to run campaigns and make a difference on issues they cared about. OSPIRG is funded by a small per-student per-term fee, and every other year students get a chance to vote in the student government election to reaffirm their support for OSPIRG. OSPIRG chooses to be funded in this uniquely democratic way because it values your voice as a student – and can then represent you with greater political power when lobbying on its campaigns!

When asked why students should vote yes, U.S. Senator from Oregon Ron Wyden said, “Grassroots activism is what drives policy changes in Washington, D.C. and in Salem.

OSPIRG understands this and how to get things done. Whether it is registering new voters, pushing for clean renewable energy or fighting for affordable higher education – I’m always honored to partner with OSPIRG.” Since 1971, students, with training from OSPIRG’s professional organizers, have worked to promote the public interest on campus, in Salem and in D.C. – banning plastic foam in cities across the state, passing legislation to double our renewable energy and get our state off of coal, raising thousands of dollars to fight hunger and homelessness, helping establish campus food pantries, registering thousands of students to vote and convincing Congress to make college more affordable by reducing interest rates on student loans, increasing Pell grant financial aid, simplifying the FAFSA and allocating over $20 million for free open textbooks.

Today, OSPIRG helps students learn vital

leadership skills and run campaigns to commit Oregon to 100% renewable energy — building off of the commitment they helped pass for renewable electricity, making college and textbooks more affordable for Oregon’s students, protecting Indigenous water rights and fighting hunger and houselessness in our communities.

This work is vitally important on campus and gives students a voice in the issues that affect them most acutely. Through learning public speaking and lobbying skills, writing for the media and conducting research, students gain hands-on experience.

Most importantly, OSPIRG teams student activism up with professional training in order to run campaigns that win, so students, along with their peers across the state, have a voice in their local governments, Salem and Washington, D.C. to provide a voice for their interests.

We urge you to vote yes for OSPIRG in the ASUO Election on Engage before 4pm on Thursday March 31st.

U.S. Senator from Oregon Ron Wyden Senator James Manning, District 7 Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4 Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13 County Commissioner Laurie Treiger Professor Spike Gildea, University of Oregon Senate President Professor Nicole Ngo Professor Michael Najjar Professor Ben Saunders Professor Jeanette deJong Professor Derrick Hindery

Reader Recommends

LOOK ONLINE Instagram poll: Have you heard Avril Lavigne’s new album yet?

Yes: 22% No: 78%

Related A&C story: “Avril Lavigne returns to pop punk roots in ‘Love Sux’”

by Krista Kroiss

"Avril Lavigne" by .Storm is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Top read new story last week: “Opinion: Is this gentrification?”

by Sophia Cossette

(Henry Ward/Emerald)

Voices of UO

Scan here or visit the Emerald’s social media to participate in our next Voices of UO. What do you think of Oregon and UO lifting the mask mandate?

BY EVAN HUNTINGTON

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Sam Rudkin X327

creative@dailyemerald.com STUDENT SALES MANAGER

Patrick McCumber ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Melanie Lopez Riley Valle Kevin Sullivan Amy Menendez Keaton Roberts

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

Pearl Lee, a comparative literature graduate student. (Mary Grosswendt/Emerald)

ALBUM RECOMMENDATION: “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You” by Big Thief Summary: With a laid-back energy mixed with Americana influences, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You” is the fifth studio album from indie rock band Big Thief. This double album draws on a more folk, roots-oriented sound for an easygoing listening experience, like a soft lullaby on a creaky front porch swing. The band is even making a stop on tour to Eugene at McDonald Theatre on May 5.

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.

Genre: Indie rock/folk Recommended by: David Muhich, sophomore majoring in business “It’s a total departure from what I usually listen to,” Muhich said. “Something about it is just super nostalgic and enjoyable. Some songs are reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, and other songs, like ‘Spud Infinity,’ are more like hillbilly country. I completely recommend it; I’ve listened to it probably five or six times since it came out a few months ago.”

(Maisie Plew/Emerald) M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 2 2

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A&C

7 HEALTHY HABITS FOR SPRING TERM As the gloom of winter term subsides, students should consider picking up one of these simple habits to promote their physical and mental health for the months ahead.

(Mia McCall/Emerald)

BY EVAN REYNOLDS • TWITTER @_EVANREYNOLDS Spring term has arrived for UO students. With the days getting longer and Eugene’s dismal gray skies turning less and less frequent, many might see it as an opportunity to break out of the winter gloom and reset their routines. With that in mind, here are seven simple habits to promote mental and physical wellbeing as UO heads into a new term.

1: Get out in nature As the weather improves, the outdoors are once again becoming a friendlier place for students seeking to explore what Eugene has to offer. Whether it’s hiking one of Eugene’s dozens of trails, heading out to the beach — which is only a few hours away — or doing activities offered by UO’s own Outdoor Program or Bike Program, there are countless options available. Numerous studies have linked being outdoors to improved mental and physical health and decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety — even for as low as two hours a week. More mundane activities like going for a brisk walk or sitting outside in a park work just as well.

2. The 20-20-20 rule Are your eyes straining from staring at screens all day? Ophthalmologists have observed a pattern of “computer vision syndrome” among college students. In one study, over 90% of students who used computers for two or more hours a day reported dry, irritated and itchy eyes. To counteract this, experts recommend a simple and easily-remembered method. For every 20 minutes of screentime, look at an object 20 or more feet away for roughly 20 seconds. This will not only give your eyes a rest, but give your brain a chance to reset so it can continue working. Even habits as simple as glancing away can PA G E 6

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help improve the quality of one’s day.

3: Get up at a similar time every day Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, waking up at roughly the same time every day is a habit with enormous benefits. It makes it easier to map out a daily routine — something plenty of college students struggle with — and also allows the body to maintain its circadian rhythms that allow for more consistent and effective sleep cycles. A 2008 Environmental Health Perspectives study suggests that giving the body 15 to 30 minutes of sunlight just after waking up can improve productivity and mood for the rest of the day.

4: Don’t be afraid of power naps Taking naps can be easier for some more than others, but the research says not to be shy about it!

In fact, as long as naps aren’t too late in the day and don’t last longer than about an hour, they can provide enormous benefits, radically improving one’s mood and alertness. There are academic benefits to taking naps as well. Napping can improve memory, boost productivity and even make writing essays or taking tests easier after you’ve napped. There’s no need to feel lazy for taking a quick afternoon snooze.

5: Stay hydrated It’s harder and less common for people to stay hydrated than one might think. For instance, despite huge strides in water drinking over the past decades, 43% of American adults drink four glasses of water or less per day, according to a 2013 Centers for Disease Control & Prevention survey. Dehydration can have serious health consequences, leading to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and headaches.

Researchers say if you’re feeling thirsty, your body

is already well into a state of dehydration — and even subtle changes in the body’s water content can produce undesirable effects like increased heart rate and poor motor coordination. Finding time throughout the day to remain hydrated can be one of the easiest improvements one can make for their health.

6: Take up a creative hobby Finding new creative hobbies can also be a hugely positive change for college students. A 2010 National Library of Medicine study found that expressing oneself through writing, visual and musical performance or visual art among other mediums can foster a sense of well-being and reduce stress, blood pressure and anxiety.

Additionally, having a creative outlet to relieve social and academic pressures can improve other elements of college life, allowing students to concentrate more easily when working on other projects.

7: Stay connected with loved ones Amid the craziness of college life, it’s important for our emotional health to stay connected with friends, family or other loved ones. Going out and being among friends, or giving your parents a call, can be a surefire mood booster. As we enter the third year of a global pandemic, young people are talking to each other less than ever with less opportunities to socialize. During these uncertain times, interpersonal connection is one of the most vital tools to take care of our mental health.

Practicing self-care and maintaining healthy habits is one of the most critical ways to ensure a successful and low-stress college experience. This spring term, even small changes in students’ day-to-day habits can still create positive outcomes for their mental and physical health.

A&C

COLLEGE COOKING: CREAMY TUSCAN HERB PASTA SAUCE If you’re a pasta lover looking for an amazing new recipe to try, look no further!

BY LAUREN LEONE • TWITTER @LAUREN_NICOLEL

If you’re like me and have gotten bored of the classic tomato sauce, then this recipe is just for you. Of course there are hundreds of pre-made sauces that you can buy, but none can compare to a sauce made from scratch. This pasta sauce has quickly become one of my favorites, and you’ll soon see why!

Following this recipe was my first time making my own pasta sauce, and I was amazed at how simple and easy it was. Since then, I’ve made this sauce on a weekly basis, and it gets more flavorful each time. One thing I love about this recipe is how tasty it is while only requiring minimal ingredients. If you start your sauce at the same time as your pasta, you can have a delicious meal in under 10 minutes.

This sauce is perfect for a romantic date night or impressing your friends and family. This recipe works great for feeding two people, but if you’re feeding a group, just double the measurements.

If you really want to step up your flavors, add in some sausage, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for some authentic Tuscan flavors. The possibilities with this sauce are truly endless and delicious.

According to Walks of Italy, Tuscan cuisine is based on the Italian idea of “poor cooking,” or cucina povera. Traditional Tuscan flavors utilize simple foods that are inexpensive and can be cooked in large quantities. Tuscan cooking uses simple seasonings to highlight the fresh and high-quality ingredients in order to bring out the natural flavors.

You can pair this meal with a side of roasted vegetables, breadsticks or a rich, chocolatey dessert to bring the fine dining experience to the comfort of your home. There is no doubt that this sauce will become a quick favorite for anyone who takes a bite.

If you’re looking for something to sip while you enjoy this hearty meal, I have just the recommendation. The pasta pairs deliciously with a Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, White Burgundy or Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients: Any pasta of your choosing 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup parmesan cheese Italian seasoning Basil to garnish Instructions:

1. Add your favorite pasta to boiling water and stir occasionally.

In a separate saucepan, pour 1 cup of heavy whipping cream over medium heat.

2. Pour in your 1/4 cup of chicken broth and stir occasionally.

3. Season with Italian seasoning. (If you don’t have Italian seasoning, a combination of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder and oregano will do the trick.)

4. Add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese into your sauce and stir until the cheese is melted through. This should thicken your sauce and give it a nice consistency.

5. When your pasta is cooked through, drain the water and add the noodles to your sauce and stir.

6. Garnish with some basil and enjoy!

You can pair this meal with a side of roasted vegetables, breadsticks or a rich, chocolatey dessert to bring the fine dining experience to the comfort of your home.

(Lauren Leone/Emerald) M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 2 2

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OPINION

CANVAS IS THE MIND-KILLER

Valery Tsai / Daily Emerald

Crueger: Studies show that our attention spans have declined egregiously with online — Sorry, what was I saying?

BY CALE CRUEGER

It has been nearly two years since we made the urgent switch to online learning, and many have since questioned the quality of remote education. To put rumors to rest, it still sucks after all this time. But perhaps the blame is less on COVID-19 and more on how classes are set up through Canvas.

The core of the problem is that Canvas class assignments are often easy. Too easy. While not all professors opt to use Canvas, or use it in this way, nearly all students have a story to share on assignments that require little to no learning to complete and earn an exemplary grade.

Tasks can be as simple as watching lecture videos on 1.5 speed and waiting for the multiple choice comprehension question at the end. (Hint: you have infinite attempts and don’t actually need to watch the video.) They can be discussion boards that students fill with meaningless words to meet a quota.

Seriously, we’re paying like $2,000 a term to tell Riley we really found their reading analysis “interesting.”

Sites like Chegg and Quizlet also allow students to quite literally Google assignments or quiz questions word for word and find answers. Online learning has fostered a whole new world of cheating, one that professors may struggle to keep up with or may not care about.

And why should they? The tools to learn are provided, and at the end of the day, it’s up to the individual to choose whether to use them or to effortlessly float through their classes. Still, when students who choose the latter receive the same grades as their more dedicated peers, it’s hard to hate the player over the game.

Current approaches in class assignments, specifically through Canvas, offer a never-ending

queue of things we have to do. More often than not, these assignments not only teach us virtually nothing, but distract us from higher levels of thinking.

Some of our best thinking happens when we allow our minds to wander. Mind-wandering can be crucial for reflection, growth and creativity. The most novel of ideas often occur when we have time to think without distraction.

With the mother of all distractions at our fingertips, though, society has grown acutely accustomed to plugging mental inputs into time where mindwandering could take place. It’s no secret that smartphones have decimated our mental health, attention spans and sleep schedules. With so much research on the effects of modern technology, it makes little sense why educators continue to use Canvas to overload students with virtual tasks.

Because, as simple as these tasks are, they are time-consuming. Students may spend hours a day just sifting through their workload, regurgitating information and skipping through lectures until they’ve checked off their assignments. With tasks like this, it can be difficult to see our Canvas dashboard as more than a to-do list. And to-do lists are stressful, especially without guidance.

Stress-relieving methods of conquering to-do lists are rarely taught or encouraged in class settings.

Tips on dealing with to-do list-induced stress can be found online, but it can be difficult to work them into practice, especially as deadlines loom. With so many students lacking these skills, it can feel like our education system doesn’t prioritize our mental health or our learning as it continues to bombard us with tasks and no tools to manage them.

The ability to brain-off and execute classwork

on Canvas should upset us. We are paying for an “education” that doesn’t require learning. You could successfully graduate with good grades and leave the university no wiser than you entered it.

Class assignments should be structured to encourage reflection, incentivise comprehension and ease our to-do list. Students too often view our workloads as distractions and stressors from more meaningful obligations. Canvas offers endless — and often useless — assignments that take time away from more beneficial, creative thinking elsewhere.

Cale Crueger is a Daily Emerald opinion columnist. She is a junior studying public relations and political science. Cale writes to engage readers in the local issues and trends affecting campus and the Eugene community.

HOT OR NOT HOT: TURNING RED

Disney/Pixar’s “Turning Red” is a great depiction of what it’s like to be a 13-yearold girl. It doesn’t hesitate to discuss many topics most kids’ movies don’t, like puberty and periods. - Green Johnson

HOT: WALKING

Ah, spring. The sun is shining, birds are singing and gas is nearly $5 a gallon — has there ever been a more perfect time for a walk? - Cale Crueger

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MEH: SUNGLASSES

NOT: LAWN MOWING

MEH: MASK MANDATE LIFTED

NOT: FAST FOOD INDUSTRY

Sunglasses make a cool and snazzy addition to any outfit, but I always lose them, break them or spend too much on them. They keep the sun out of my eyes but sometimes make the world a little too gray. - Shelton Bowman Personally, I’m not risking getting any of the (many) diseases that come out of the coughs in lecture halls, so I’ll keep my mask on. That being said, it’ll give the RA’s a break from yelling at freshmen.

Cheers, new variant. - Isaac Oronsky

Sure, it smells and looks nice to have freshly cut grass. But think of the individuals who suffer from grass allergies. This includes myself. It’s a grand display of those with fortunate allergens. Team turf. - Beatrice Byrd From the famous McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit for third degree burns to Papa John’s founder’s use of a racial slur, the fast-food industry is failing us all. - Petra Molina

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COVER

TESTIMONIES FROM THE TRENCHES

Graduate employees share their COVID-19 safety stories.

BY ABBY SOURWINE Editor’s note: The Emerald interviewed four UO GEs for this story and two of them wished to remain anonymous. In cases where employment could be impacted by someone telling their story, the Emerald allows the use of anonymous sources to avoid retaliation.

The University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation posted a call for testimonials on its Instagram page last November. “We would like to invite GEs to share their concerns and experiences (COVID-related or not) with GTFF once again,” it said.

GTFF made 12 testimonial posts over the course of three months. This generated traction, becoming some of its most liked posts and inspiring other graduate student unions across the state to use social media to put pressure on administrators and demand a safe work environment.

In one post with almost 200 likes, a GE said it was unethical for UO to prevent GEs from telling their students when there was a confirmed positive case in a class. Others identified cramped learning spaces and a lack of hybrid flexibility as barriers to a safe and fair working environment.

Pearl Lee, a comparative literature graduate student, mentions technological difficulties and question the university: “When you charge students that much money for tuition and other fees, why do you have subpar equipment in classrooms?” University of Oregon GEs share their experiences in the classroom while trying to navigate COVID safety protocols. (Mary Grosswendt/Emerald)

“The COVID testimonials are a very important and really powerful part of the GTFF social media campaign,” GTFF President Mel Keller said.

The Daily Emerald spoke with four rank-and-file GTFF members across UO to hear their COVID-19 testimonials.

Cramped classrooms are a byproduct of GEs’ lack of power: Robin Brackett, a political science GE Robin Brackett was late to her international relations class on the first day of fall term because she couldn’t find the classroom. When she arrived, the room didn’t feel like a classroom at all.

“It sort of seemed like a weird shack,” she said. “It was like, built on the side of a building, and there weren't any windows and the ceilings were really low.”

The class enrolled about 40 people, a mix of graduate and undergraduate students, and the desks were so close together that Brackett had trouble entering the room.

Brackett teaches political science courses as a GE,

but she was a student in this class. The GE here, a colleague of hers, sat in the hallway rather than face the classroom conditions.

“He immediately made an appointment to get a booster shot because if he had to sit in this classroom with all of these people, he said, ‘I'm going to get sick,’ and that was how I felt, too,” Brackett said. “It was shocking.”

The course’s professor put in a request to change rooms with input from the GE and Brackett herself — Brackett encouraged him to take a photo of the classroom and include it in the submission. The class was moved to a new room with “adequate windows and ample seating” by the next class, Brackett said.

But this was not the only course with inadequate classroom conditions, Brackett said. Another one of her classes had her rubbing elbows with classmates.

There was one window that had to be propped open with books. This course also moved locations after a week.

In one class Brackett helped teach, she told her professor she was nervous about teaching during the height of the omicron variant’s spread. The professor handed Brackett N95 masks out of her own backpack.

“I appreciated it from her, but I didn't think that she was the right person to be doing that,” Brackett said. “We were expected to be in class, and we weren't being provided with adequate safety equipment.”

Brackett is concerned about lifting the mask mandate spring term because of safety concerns, but she also worries about classroom culture. She said the classroom environment could be tense, with those who choose to continue to wear masks mixed in with those who don’t.

Brackett said they have not received university guidance on how to successfully conduct class spring term. Like the cramped classroom environments she experienced fall term, it will be up to professors and GEs to decide, but Brackett said she would prefer to be included earlier on in the process.

“I think that the population of GEs is large enough in the university, and we're an important enough part of how the university functions that we should always have input and not have to beg and push to make them listen,” Brackett said.

Labs can put progress over safety: a chemistry GE In one GE’s chemistry class fall term, the lab was split into sections for each student to work individually and at a distance from other students.

But this structured environment was difficult to enforce, they said. Students visited with one another at different stations, and hands-on teaching made it impossible to maintain distancing for the whole class.

“The thing with chemistry in a lab is that it's almost impossible to teach anything without getting physically close to students,” the GE said.

The GE did his best to strike a balance between safety and constructive learning, but the work in finding that balance was his to do. Apart from the station set-up, he said there was little guidance from

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COVER the university. feel supported by any particular body on In the lab the chemistry GE works in, campus. that balance is out of his control. Earlier “The one word I would use to describe my this year, when one member of the lab was experiences, where it applies to me being at worried they had contracted COVID-19, this university as a grad student, me in this the principal investigator, who leads the department, it's all across the board a super GE’s lab, set the expectation for everyone to alienating experience,” he said. show up for work regardless of COVID-19 status.

The power to choose only goes so far: Pearl “The PIs, they don't really like to follow Lee, a comparative literature GE COVID guidelines,” the GE said. “They want us to be in lab and be getting work done, When the omicron surge hit, Pearl and they're not particularly interested in us Lee — a GE in the comparative literature being overly safe.” department — opted to move their The GE and other members of his lab comparative motion picture class to Zoom. found this ridiculous, he said. Thankfully, They felt supported by their department, the coworker ended up testing negative, and which did not require classes to meet the issue never became any more salient UO’s 20% threshold to transition to online than that moment, nor did any expectations learning. Some of Lee’s colleagues in other change. The GE said he is concerned with departments were forced to stay in-person this tendency to place despite their reservations, progress over the health of Lee said. those making it.

Lee was able to choose “I hate the pressure: when to go online, but making progress in your that power doesn’t extend research over everything to other steps to safe and else,” he said. “In that time, comfortable learning. it was like, ‘Okay, we can When a student told The PIs, they don't really set this aside for a second.

Lee they wanted to come like to follow COVID It's okay if we slow down to class only a few days a little bit for a second,’ after testing positive for guidelines. They want but the PIs — all of them, COVID-19 because they us to be in lab and be not just mine — they get felt fine, Lee didn’t feel getting work done, and very hyper-focused on empowered to ask that progress.” student to stay home. Nor they're not particularly did they feel empowered interested in us being when the same situation UO will admit to poor happened again. overly safe.” communication, not poor “I was worried then A chemistry GE policy: a history GE because I can't tell that student, ‘Oh, you probably “There's some really shouldn't come still,” dystopian aspects to education during a Lee said. “That student was excited about pandemic,” a GE in the history department coming to class in person, but I was worried said, but one of the most memorable about whether other students would be moments was the first day of fall term. affected.”

When he encountered different members UO’s COVID-19 Exposure Scenarios and of the history department’s leadership, Guidance page instructs students who test they were all very enthusiastic to be back positive to isolate for five days after they on campus, he said, but he was put off started experiencing symptoms or, if they when they all mentioned their pride in UO’s don’t have symptoms, after they tested policies. positive.

He said his colleagues weren’t acting After four weeks of teaching online, which like themselves; they sounded “weird and Lee found “draining,” they transitioned back forced.” to in-person instruction and were met with Later that day, in a department meeting, issues conducting a hybrid class. the leadership echoed these sentiments.

When it comes to in-person class, “I know After the meeting, they sent an email to the that some students can't risk it or don't want department. to risk it, which is perfectly reasonable,” “They didn't explicitly say there's no they said. problem on campus, but the whole thing The audio-visual systems in each was just like, the university is doing its job classroom vary. UO has classroom really well, but what they could be doing technology pages for each classroom and better is communicating about it,” he said. a few video tutorials, but the videos did not The history GE said the implicit match the system in Lee’s classroom, they argument that COVID-19 had little to no said. They ended up having to purchase an material impact on campus created an adapter to conduct hybrid class effectively. adversarial relationship between GEs and “One time I had to just hold up my laptop the department leaders who endorsed the and show the images I wanted to show message. students around the classroom because I “That's the line that our department took, couldn't project things,” they said. and that's bullshit,” he said. “There were Another time, they called IT for literally 1,000 cases on campus in one assistance, and another time the whole week.” system stopped working spontaneously.

UO’s inability to admit even small failures “When you charge students that much and listen to those most impacted by them money for tuition and other fees, why do has made the history GE feel anxious, he you have subpar equipment in classrooms?” said. He feels like it’s up to him to keep Lee said. “That's my question for the himself and others safe, and he doesn’t administration.”

A crowd gathers as GTFF members list their demands to the University of Oregon. Graduate teachers, students, and community members gathered outside Johnson Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 18 to protest unsafe learning and working conditions following the increase of COVID-19 cases on the University of Oregon campus. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

Straub 156 is a lecture hall with 500 seats, making it one of the largest lecture halls at The University of Oregon. The University of Oregon returned to in-person classes this fall after four consecutive terms of online instruction. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

Graduate teachers, students and community members gathered outside Johnson Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 18 to protest unsafe learning and working conditions following the increase of COVID-19 cases on the University of Oregon campus. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

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“I am hugely grateful for everything that The Daily Emerald has provided for me."

- Skyla Patton

Special Sections Editor 2021-22

SPORTS Ty Thompson (17) looks towards a Stony Brook defender as he hands off the ball. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Stony Brook Seawolves 48-7 on Saturday night, Sept. 17, at Autzen Stadium. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW: QUARTERBACKS After a series of additions and departures, the starting quarterback position is still an open race.

BY CHARLES GEARING • TWITTER @GEARINGCHARLIE Four years ago, true freshman quarterback Bo Nix and the Auburn Tigers trailed by one with the ball in the Oregon redzone with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Nix took the snap and scrambled five steps to the right before delivering a 26 yard touchdown pass, stealing victory from the Ducks’ hands and trampling their hopes of a neutral site win.

That same quarterback who stole Oregon’s hopes of an SEC victory in 2019 will wear the green and yellow uniform next season. Full circle. His addition marks the third straight offseason of competition in the Oregon quarterback room.

Nix will join former 5-star Ty Thompson and California recruit Jay Butterfield to duel it out this offseason. In the wake of an underwhelming offensive campaign, Oregon fans hope this year’s competition will bring out the best, not just the most experienced, player to fill the starting role.

Nix started in all but three games in his three seasons at Auburn. Last season, he threw for 2,294 yards and 11 touchdowns. His mere three interceptions in 2021 is tied for the third best in the nation.

When Nix announced his transfer destination in mid-December, it made sense.

Oregon’s newly hired offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham coached Nix during his 2019 SEC Rookie of the Year season at Auburn.

But despite Nix’s ties with Dillingham, the quarterback competition is still very much alive.

Thompson, formerly ranked the No. 3 quarterback of his recruiting cycle, was the first 5-star to ever sign with Oregon at the position. Fans have been excited for his future – and for good reason.

He played in just three games for Oregon last season, with only a handful of reps in each, despite fans hoping to see him under center on a more regular basis. The 6-foot-4 sophomore threw for 82 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s matchup with Stony Brook in September.

He’s a dual threat quarterback with superb arm strength. While he lacks significant in-game college experience, he could very well compete with or steal the starting job from the speculated position-leading Nix. Butterfield was ranked the No. 12 California recruit by Rivals and the state’s No. 5 pro-style quarterback.

Where Thompson and Nix may have him beat with mobility, Butterfield’s arm strength and pocket-passing ability holds up against anyone. He led Liberty High School in California to a 32-5 record over three years, throwing for over 7,000 yards and 85 touchdowns during the period.

Butterfield’s competed for the starting role every year since arriving in Eugene, and approaching his third season, he’ll battle the odds once again.

As the new-look Oregon offense advances through the spring and into next fall, the question of the starting quarterback position will be discussed by Dillingham and company. In the meantime, the group will compete until a clear starter comes out of the fold, and iron will sharpen iron.

“I think we have a mature group,” Lanning said. “You look out there and you want competitive toughness, you want guys that go out there and work every single day to get better, but the reality is, they realize they can make eachother better if they share their knowledge and share what they’re seeing.”

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NEWS (This image was marked with a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license by sona.sonicka)

LANE COUNTY AND OREGON RESPOND TO THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE Community members and government officials show their support for Ukraine and their condemnation of Russia’s actions from 6,000 miles away.

BY ALEXIS WEISEND • TWITTER @WEISEND_ALEXIS

Lane County and the state of Oregon have rallied support for Ukrainians during the Russian invasion of Ukraine through public demonstrations, financial aid and blows to the Russian economy.

The Eugene City Council directed staff to investigate how Eugene can send $10,000 from the city budget to Ukraine for humanitarian aid and relief at a Feb. 28 city council meeting.

Councilor Emily Semple, dressed in Ukraine’s national colors of blue and yellow, said she is worried for Ukraine.

“I hope that this community we feel with Ukraine continues, and I hope Ukraine continues as Ukraine,” Semple said.

Councilors made the motion after discussing whether or not Eugene would temporarily break ties with its Russian sister city of Irkutsk. Sister Cities International is a non-profit program that pairs cities in the United States with cities abroad as a means of connecting with international communities, according to its website. The relationship between Eugene and Irkutsk, which began in 1988, is intended to be a peacemaking program, and the city of Eugene does not provide money to Irkutsk, Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis said.

Vinis wrote a letter on March 7 to Irkutsk’s mayor Ruslan Nikolaevich Bolotov condemning the invasion and emphasizing that the sister city relationship must not be misinterpreted as approval or complacency of the conflict. She also said Eugene hopes that any citizens who have been arrested or detained for a peaceful protest will be released.

The groups Planet Vs. Pentagon and the Community Alliance of Lane County hosted a vigil at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene to show support for Ukrainians on March 6. About 100 people attended the rally over the course of an hour, Sue Barnhart of Planet Vs. Pentagon said.

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“I think that everybody there at the vigil was united in being very upset that Ukraine was invaded and that women and children were being killed and innocent people — older people,” Barnhart said. “I think a lot of the world is united in opposition to something like this.”

Richard Janowicz, a pastor at Nativity of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Springfield, has been collecting donations for humanitarian aid organizations in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

“I think a lot of the world is united in opposition to something like this.”

SUE BARNHART Member of Planet Vs. Pentagon

“It’s a really difficult time,” Janowicz said. “Anxiety and worry about the family and friends that people have in Ukraine, for their health and their welfare and the sake of their lives.”

Janowicz said some Ukrainians attend his church, and they have been reacting to the news of the invasion with anxiety and faith.

“You have to be anxious, of course, when you have relatives and family that are under the threat of war,” Janowicz said. “But at the same time, I think they have faith in God, that they trust that the Lord will help them during this time of need and also they’re

committed to a free and democratic Ukraine.”

Janowicz said American support is important for upholding democracy in Ukraine. “The support that people have shown not only for Ukraine but Ukraine’s people has been really touching,” he said.

State agencies are taking action to criticize the Russian invasion from overseas. The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission announced on Feb. 28 it would pull all Russian-made liquors from Oregon shelves.

“The OLCC understands that there are times when we must respond to a higher calling in the interest of humanity, and this is but a small step the OLCC and the state of Oregon can take,” Chair of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Paul Rosenbaum said in a statement.

State Treasurer Tobias Read directed the disposal of Oregon investments in sanctioned Russian companies on March 3. “The situation in Ukraine is serious, tragic, and growing more desperate by the day,” Read said in a statement. “I stand with Ukraine.”

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown condemned Russia’s actions in a Twitter thread on Feb. 28. She said she has contacted the White House to see what actions Oregon can take to aid the Ukrainian people.

“Oregon will always be a welcoming place to everyone who calls our state home,” Brown said. “If you can, support a Ukrainian-owned business today.

To all Ukrainians, in Oregon and across the world, we are keeping you and your families in our hearts.”

Brown also said to remember the actions of the Russian government are not the actions of the Russian people.

“We value our Russian community here in Oregon, and many Russian families are being impacted by this conflict,” Brown said. “As Oregonians, let’s all unite together for peace.”

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