4-3-23 Emerald Media Group - Week of Welcome

NEWSROOM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Hannarose McGuinness

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Brandon Roth

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Sarah Matlick

NEWS EDITORS

Alexis Weisend

Gavin Gamez

Caleb Barber

A&C EDITORS

Krista Kroiss

Evan Reynolds

SPORTS EDITORS

Aaron Heisen

Mojo Hill

OPINION EDITORS

Emma J Nelson

Sophia Cossette

PHOTO EDITOR Maddie Stellingwerf

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Ian Enger

DESIGN EDITOR

Liz Blodgett

COPY CHIEF

Amanda Lurey

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITORS

Dylan Farrell Logan Robertson

VIDEO EDITOR Troy Munson

PODCAST EDITOR

Jamie Diep

SOCIALS EDITOR

Jennifer Singh

VISUALS EDITOR

Julia Stalnaker

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Bill Kunerth X317 bkunerth@dailyemerald.com

VP OPERATIONS Kathy Carbone X302 kcarbone@dailyemerald.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shelly Rondestvedt X303 srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Annie Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com

STUDENT SALES MANAGER

Amy Mendez

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Riley Valle

Keaton Roberts

Max Goldenberg

Josh Delapena

ON THE COVER

Taylor Jules, a senior at the University of Oregon, sets up a mic for recording in a room located inside the University's music building. (Maddie Stellingwerf/ Emerald)

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.

FOR YOU

LOOK ONLINE

Top viewed story in the past week:

“Man facing charges for shooting on corner of 13th and Patterson” by Alexis Weisend

Student Recommends

BY ROMIE AVIVI STUHL

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION: ‘VOICE IN SPORT’

Summary: ‘Voice in Sport’ aims to amplify female voices in the sports industry. Over 100 episodes have been published since its debut in 2020. Former athlete Stef Strack founded the podcast as a way to advocate for girls and remove barriers in the sports industry. Strack hosts conversations with a variety of female athletes who share their stories regarding mental health, nutrition, identity and everything in between.

Recommended by: Ana Narayan, Freshman studying journalism. “It helps others be informed about the incredible work female athletes are doing on a collegiate and high school level around the country.”

Second most read story in the past week:

“City of Eugene approves plan for more than $310 million for infrastructure projects” by Alan Torres

(Courtesy of City of Eugene)

Voices of UO

(Paul Robinson/ Emerald) Scan

Do you want your voice heard literally? Scan here to respond to our Voices of UO prompt with a brief voice message, and head to www. dailyemerald. com/ multimedia/ podcasts/ next week to listen to the replies!

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.

(Maisie Plew/Emerald)

For updated coverage of sports and digital-exclusive content, go to www.dailyemerald.com

(Romie Avivi Stuhl/ Emerald)

ASUO LAUNCHES NEW PARTY REGISTRATION

Students will now be able to register for parties through ASUO to be able to receive more notice before police present during loud parties

BY PAUL ROBINSON

ASUO, in coordination with the Eugene Police Department and the University of Oregon Police Department, has launched a new program called party registration that will begin spring term to replace party patrol from the fall.

ASUO President Luda Isakharov said the program will allow students to receive a warning call when throwing parties before an officer is dispatched to the registered address. Isakharov said that the program is designed to decrease the amount of police presence necessary in university neighborhoods.

Isakharov said the program is part of ASUO’s response to EPD’s party patrols conducted during the fall term. According to EPD Deputy Chief Shawn Adams, the party patrols were part of increased law enforcement to deal with parties getting out of control.

Deputy Chief Shawn Adams of EPD said, “What party patrol really was, it's us bringing in additional resources just to deal with the parties. So that our normal resources could continue to look out for the calls for service within the city.”

Isakharov said ASUO hopes that the program, developed with EPD Chief Chris Skinner and UOPD Chief Jason Wade, will act as a replacement for EPD’s party patrol.

“The general understanding we’ve gotten from the Eugene Police Department is that if this program goes well and everyone complies on both ends, then there will not be a need for party patrol,” she said.

Isakharov said party complaints will go to EPD’s dispatch, who will check to see if the address is on the list. From there, she said EPD will call the number from the party registration list and give them an official warning.

She said hosts of the party will have a 20-minute grace period, after which a UOPD officer will be dispatched to the scene if a call comes in after the 20 minutes. Luda Isakharov said the reason it will be UOPD rather than EPD is that they are more equipped to de-escalate and deal with students due to their relationship and experience with the university.

According to Isakharov, some students are concerned with sharing their addresses with law enforcement. Luda Isakharov said EPD already has a list of addresses of Greek live-outs and notable house show venues that frequently are reported with complaints such as noise ordinances.

“We really want to emphasize this is actually going to really decrease your likelihood of citation, and it will increase your likelihood of not having to engage with EPD at all, which is our goal,” Isakharov said.

She said ASUO will be offering two training sessions during the first two weeks of spring term for anyone who potentially will host a large party. Once they are completed, the hosts will then be able to register, she said.

In Nov. 2022, students testified to Eugene city council about experiences with party patrol that they said made them fear the police. EPD issued

hundreds of misdemeanors, violations and arrests through its party patrol initiative fall term.

Recommended: ‘Fall ‘party patrol’ leads to an increase in arrests, citations around campus’

“If there is a registered party going on or students are truly looking at that student experience and the enjoyment that college should be, that they can do it in such a way that they're safe,” Chief Wade said.

Wade said UOPD tries to take more of an educational approach, rather than the traditional police interaction students might have with EPD, such as citations. He said its history and previous experience with students, and daily interactions with the student body, can help students feel safer when interacting with law enforcement compared to interacting with other local law enforcement.

“We want to chip in and make sure that one, we really focus on the safety, but two, we look at moving forward from the mistakes of the past or the concerns of the past year,” he said.

Deputy Chief Shawn Adams of EPD said the program is a compromise between EPD and students. The new program grants a lot of trust to the students in order to minimize interactions between students and EPD, he said.

“I'm super hopeful about where this is going. I really am. I think it's a brilliant solution. I think it's born out of good conversation between the U of O students and us and UOPD,” Adams said.

The Eugene Police have been upping their responses to parties near the University area, donning a title as "The Party Patrol". The main Eugene Police station sits on Country Club road in Eugene, Oregon. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

EWEB GRANT OPEN TO EUGENE SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Eugene Water and Electric Board opens its annual Greenpower grant for applications from Eugene community organizations.

BY REILLY NORGREN

energy and carbon emissions.

Anna Wade, a business line manager at EWEB who oversees the grant, said the Greenpower program is really about a local investment in renewable energy.

Wade said the last recipient, a nonprofit called Friends of Trees, is a great example of a large carbon offset project that an organization can use the grant for.

Greenpower customers. Preference is given to projects that support underserved populations and applications that clearly describe what the grant money will be used for.

Greenpower subscribers vote on their top two projects out of the applicants, and a winner is selected by EWEB.

“We’re able to leave the eligibility criteria pretty broad,” Wade said. “Ultimately, it's up to our Greenpower customers to determine what they see as being the most valuable in the community.”

The Eugene Water and Electric Board is awarding $50,000 to a Eugene community organization, school or public agency that has an idea for a large-scale sustainability project and applies for the 2023 Greenpower grant.

The grant’s goal is to give an organization the opportunity to fund a project that promotes sustainable energy, furthers energy education or helps to reduce Eugene’s carbon footprint.

The funding for the Greenpower grant comes from voluntary subscription to EWEB Greenpower by Eugene residents. Greenpower is a program offered by EWEB in which people can add to their monthly bill, starting at $1.50, to support renewable energy in the Eugene community and is structured to be accessible regardless of a subscriber’s income. EWEB Greenpower subscriptions fund projects like solar electric programs and K-12 education related to renewable

With the Greenpower grant, it was able to have a tree planting effort that included communities that typically see a lack of “tree equity” and engage its volunteers in tree stewardship to further promote sustainable neighborhoods.

An urban area’s Tree Equity Score is determined by whether there are enough trees in a neighborhood to allow the residents to experience their benefits. A Tree Equity Score can be used by government employees, activists and urban foresters to make a plan to plant trees in neighborhoods that need them –– and ensure that the resources are organized to do so.

Erik Burke, director of Friends of Trees’ EugeneSpringfield office, said urban forestry is typically focused on wealthy neighborhoods.

Burke said the Greenpower grant was helpful in Friends of Trees’ ability to do this project.

Wade said EWEB is open to any kind of project as long as it serves the progression or installation of renewable energy or provides some kind of carbon benefit.

The recipient of the grant is decided by

Grant applications opened on March 6 and closed March 31. The winner of the grant will be announced on April 22.

(Lynette Slape /Emerald)

“WE’RE ABLE TO LEAVE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA PRETTY BROAD. ULTIMATELY, IT’S UP TO OUR GREENPOWER CUSTOMERS TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY SEE AS BEING THE MOST VALUABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.”

As someone who loves to cook with fish, buying seafood from regular grocery stores can be very underwhelming with limited options –– and questionable freshness. What you need is a real fish monger to sell you some of the freshest and highest quality seafood around, and you can get everything you need at Fisherman’s Market.

Fisherman’s Market has two locations, one at 830 West 7th Avenue and one inside Springfield’s Public house. It has everything a seafood lover could ever want. Open since 1989, this Eugene favorite serves the public fresh seafood and gives back to the community.

Being locally owned by Ryan Rogers, a longtime Alaskan commercial fisherman, allows the company to partner and source seafood from sustainable, high-quality and responsible fishers, to give their customers a true seafood dining experience. The company also sources ingredients locally and participates in the yearly Food For Lane County’s Grilled Cheese Experience event.

FISHERMAN’S MARKET BRINGS THE FLAVORS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO EUGENE WITH THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD AROUND

This boat-to-table market is a seafood lover’s dream!

BY LAUREN LEONE

Fisherman’s Market specializes in various seafood, including smoked fish, Dungeness crab, fish n’ chips and all the seafood staples. Their menu consists of classics like clam chowder, seafood stew, shrimp scampi pasta, cajun crawfish pie, fish tacos and crabcakes. I ordered a plate of shrimp tacos which came with a side of rice and beans and it was so delicious that I was in shrimp heaven.

One of the cool things about Fisherman’s Market is their self-serve house-made sauce bar located in the center of their market. No matter what you end up ordering, you can sauce your seafood up with options like cajun style, captain Dick’s firecracker cocktail sauce, bang bang, Bombay bomber, orient express, Tijuana terror and traditional tartar –– all of which can be purchased as bottles.

The atmosphere of the market is lively and the nautical decor really makes you feel like you’re right on the coast. The smell of the sea is very fragrant throughout the market and might not be too appealing for the sensitive smellers out there.

The fishmongers are happy to help you find the seafood perfect for you, and can even give you cooking ideas.

Parking is slim pickings out front of the 7th Avenue location, so if you’re just looking to stop by for a quick bite, I suggest checking out the Publichouse location instead. Both have the same delicious menu. But if you’re planning a delicious meal and want the freshest fish around, the search for parking is well worth the wait.

I highly recommend taking a trip to flavor town and stopping by for a bite of their cajun crawfish pie, consisting of crawfish tail meat, celery, onion, bell peppers and heavy cream, all baked together in a flaky pie, which was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

Whether you’re stopping by to grab a bite or picking up some seafood to cook and eat at a later date, you can’t possibly go wrong buying from Fisherman’s Market.

Located at 830 West 7th Avenue in Eugene, Fisherman’s Market specialize in a variety of smoked fish and fresh seafood. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

IS CAFFEINE ACTUALLY BAD FOR US?

SHORT ANSWER: NO

such as headaches, fatigue and irritability, the symptoms are not severe enough to medically consider caffeine an addictive substance. The misconception that caffeine is addictive is among several other widely accepted myths that have been disproved by medical professionals.

1. CAFFEINE DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO DEHYDRATION

• BY JESS MCCOMB

The one hour wait for a coffee during the Starbucks afternoon rush in the EMU indicates a trend in University of Oregon’s student habits: They are hooked on caffeine.

When asked if she considers herself addicted to caffeine, Nikki Roubos, a sophomore public relations major at UO, laughed. “Yes definitely,” Roubos said. “If I don't drink caffeine, I get a headache, and if I drink it too late, I can’t sleep so it definitely affects my sleep schedule.”

Other students echo Roubos' quick confession of caffeine addiction. Beau Brines, a sophomore advertising major at UO also said he is probably addicted to caffeine.

“It’s definitely problematic because it’s an unhealthy cycle where I need the extra energy from caffeine to get my schoolwork done,” Brines said.

Although Brines admits his caffeine habits can be unhealthy, he recognizes the benefits of caffeine. Brines said he uses caffeine primarily as compensation for not getting enough sleep.

Being “addicted to caffeine” is integral to the college student experience –– except that although it is possible to develop a dependence, being addicted to caffeine is actually scientifically impossible. While the body may experience withdrawal-like symptoms after quitting caffeine

Have you ever been told to avoid caffeine while hungover because of its dehydrating effects? The good news is this is completely untrue. Caffeine will sooner dull the pain of a hangover than exasperate it. The conception that caffeine is dehydrating came about because of the diuretic effect of the substance –– caffeine causes your body to produce more urine. However, the fluids consumed when drinking caffeine compensate for the fluid lost in increased urine output and the so-called dehydrating effect is canceled out. It is still important to consume enough water throughout the day and not rely purely on caffeine for hydration.

2. CAFFEINE WILL NOT HELP YOU SOBER UP

While it will not hurt you the morning after, caffeine also cannot help you to sober up during a night out. Alcohol is a depressant, and caffeine is a stimulant, leading people to believe that a cup of joe might reverse the effects of a couple beers. This false notion is extremely dangerous when drunk driving is taken into consideration. The only thing that will dull the effects of alcohol is time, so no matter how much coffee, water and bread you pack into your system, getting behind the wheel after drinking is always a bad idea.

3.

CAFFEINE DOES NOT HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT

The metabolism boosting effect of caffeine has

largely branded the substance as a weight loss supplement. But according to Healthline, the effect on the metabolism is not significant enough to promote long term weight loss because the body quickly becomes immune to the metabolism boosting effects of caffeine. Also, the calories in many coffee drinks have a negative effect on weight loss, basically canceling out the increased metabolic rate benefits. While drinking sugary coffee drinks increases caloric intake and can therefore lead to weight gain if done excessively, restrictive weight loss tactics like drinking coffee black when you prefer a little cream and sugar are damaging. Ellie Wiltshire, a professor of Nutrition at UO and Performance Nutritionist with UO athletic department warns that restrictive diets “exacerbate disordered eating and eating disorders.” Even if taken without cream and sugar, coffee will not significantly affect weight loss so altering your caffeine habits to align with the constraints of diet culture is unadvised.

4.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STOP CONSUMING CAFFEINE AFTER 2 P.M.

The negative role caffeine plays in quality of sleep is simply due to user error. As long as one stops consuming caffeine a minimum of six hours before bed, it will not affect sleep patterns. So unless you are attempting to be asleep by 8 p.m., it is completely ok to have caffeine after 2.

“That is literally going to change my life,” Roubos said after being told about the six hour rule. “My mom has always told me no caffeine after 3. Now I don’t feel pressured to get all my caffeine in before three to fall asleep.”

It is important to recognize this six hour rule because, if not followed, one might fall into a vicious cycle of caffeine dependency that might mimic the appearance of addiction. Drinking caffeine too close to bedtime can lead to a level of sleep deprivation that demands a greater consumption of caffeine the day after.

While there are risks associated with excessive caffeine consumption, the notion of its detrimental effects are not always accurate. Caffeine can be an extremely helpful tool for college students on a busy schedule and students should not feel obligated to cut back on consumption based on wives tales and misinformation.

On this week’s edition of Daily Emerald mythbusters, we discover that everything we thought we knew about our bad caffeine habits is false.

•

(Ryan Stasel/Emerald)

SOLO SPOTLIGHT:

THESE

THREE UO STUDENTS ARE PAVING THEIR OWN WAY INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS ASPIRING INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS.

BY EVAN HUNTINGTON

Eugene is home to a blossoming house show scene. Local bands and musical groups bring magic and electricity to the stage that the restless college community can’t seem to get enough of. But there’s something to say about the potential and spark of a solo act — a young visionary blazing their own way into the music world, braving the industry on their own terms. These three independent musicians are eager to shine their light on the world while staying true to themselves and their own musical identity.

TAYLOR JULES - “I HAVE A LOT TO SAY.”

UO senior and music major Taylor Jules knew it was meant to be. She knew she was destined for music since she was a child. And with so much training and performing experience this early in her career, it’s clear she’s ready to do it all.

“I don’t think I am one yet, but I like to try to be a jack of all trades,” she said humbly.

Despite Jules’ wide-ranging experimentation and tapping into many styles, she is currently investing her energy into the genre she resonates with the most: indie pop. Much of what she values the most in music, both as a creator and a listener, can be found within this genre, she said. The storytelling, relatability and the deep, personable connection

artists can create for their audience are aspects of the genre she tries to replicate in her music.

“It’s such sophisticated and unique musicianship and lyrics and ideas,” Jules said. “I absolutely love where this genre has gone in the last couple of years.” Jules has a deep-rooted musical background, which was ingrained in her life from a very early age. Growing up in a musical household, her parents would play music for her every day, with one very important rule in the car — never interrupt Steely Dan. She and her family went to countless rock concerts growing up, including her first show, Steve Miller Band, when she was five years old. These early influences were essential in prompting her to pursue music for herself. Even as a child, her abilities came naturally, she said.

“This is always something I knew I was wanting to do,” she said. “I had a real passion for it and also an innate talent. When I was in preschool, we were singing a graduation song, and my mom and her friends heard one little voice ringing above the rest. They were laughing, but they were like, ‘That’s kind of good. Whoever that is can kind of sing.’ And it was me.”

Jules takes pride in the serious amount of training and performing experience she’s already gained so early in her career. At 9 or 10 years old, she started at the School of Rock music program

with guitar and voice lessons. Through the same program, she scored a placement into the gigging band called the House Band, performing in countless legendary music venues and even at Summerfest in Milwaukee.

“I had this incredible secret little rockstar life from 10 to 15 years old,” she said. She continued in high school with musical theater and attended many popular music camps across the country. She’s also been in traveling bands her whole life and has played hundreds of shows.

Jules is driven by her persistent appetite to learn more and keep growing as an artist in any way she can. She is bound by nothing in the pursuit of her dreams.

“For me, the sky is the absolute limit,” she said. “I have massive dreams and ambitions in the music industry. With my health and everything that I’ve been through and all the experience I’ve had thus far, I am so sure that this is what I’m meant to do, and I’m determined to do whatever I can to make it happen. Knock on wood! I truly believe that good things will be happening for me.”

Her latest track, “19,” is out now on all streaming platforms, and an alternate acoustic version of the track will be released this month. Visit iamtaylorjules.com for more.

CONNOR NORTH - “MUSIC IS AWESOME!”

Taylor Jules sits in the Analog recording room inside the University of Oregon's Music School. The room itself holds only analog recording equipment, and was the home of one of her favorite classes last term. Eugene is home to many independent musicians both in and outside of the University. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

UO sophomore and accounting major Connor North is a musical asset. Outside of songwriting, he’s well versed in nearly all aspects of audio engineering and produces his own music. While he’s still in the process of finding his true sound, he’s a student of the art and is hopeful to expand his skills in all facets of the music industry.

North started making music five years ago, while he was in high school. He began taking it seriously after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, eventually meeting Gabriel Owsley, an audio engineer in Portland who taught him how to record. Making music also became much more important to him after his dad passed away in 2020.

“Looking at the time, it was like an emotional escape or just a way to funnel my emotion,” he said. “Music was a really great outlet for me, but now it’s become so much more than that. It’s a lot more of just me and my personality. Now I’m just making music depending on how I feel.”

North’s primary style is hard to define. When he first started making music, his rap style consisted of an aggressive, growly sound with a grunge tone. He said this niche subgenre is still fun to make, but he felt like it didn’t reflect who he really was.

“I’m not a super intimidating person, or like super scary, at least I like to think so,” he said about his early hardcore style. “I think I was trying to chase a style that I thought was cool, but it wasn’t really my own. Now I’ve defined what I think is more my style.”

Recently, North’s been moving into a different direction, digging into a slower, more melodic singing approach. His sound has morphed into a combination of low, grungy rap with a higher singing autotune style, which feels more authentic to who he is, he said. While making his own material, he also does freelance work helping other artists in the Eugene area — producing, recording, mixing and mastering their music.

“I’m not super afraid to put myself out there,” he said. “Just being like, ‘Hey, I think what you’re working on is cool. I think we should work together.’”

No matter where he ends up in his career, North wants his work to center around music, but his dream is to make music for TV shows and film, helping to write them as well.

“I want to have movies and shows be made around songs,” he said. “My dream would be to make a movie and go on tour to do screenings of the movie, and then as the songs come on, I can come out and perform them live.”

After interning this past summer at Surfing Giant Studios, an animation studio in Los Angeles, he was exposed to this new angle of bridging music production and film, something he had never even considered, he said. Once North saw all the opportunities out there for music making in the film and TV industry, that became his greatest goal. But no matter what he ends up doing, whether it’s soundtracking, writing, engineering, management or even accounting, North wants his work to revolve around music, he said.

“I want to put on a bunch of different hats and try as much stuff as I can because I know that’s what I want to do in the future,” he said. “I want to meet as many people and musicians as I can and try to do for other people what I would’ve wanted to be done for me.”

North plans to release a new track every month until the release of an upcoming EP. His latest single, “SCARLET,” is out everywhere now. Be sure to check out his Instagram for the latest updates and announcements.

ARTIFICIAL REALITIES - “I’M AN ANALOG PERSON IN A DIGITAL WORLD.”

Matthew Duncan is determined. This is a man who will work nonstop for six hours in the studio without even realizing it. He will even change a song’s key four or more times to find the right version. His devotion to his craft is stronger than ever, and he’s willing to put all of his energy into creating a true piece of art.

Duncan, a UO junior and music major who goes by the stage name Artificial Realities, began playing guitar and writing songs in early high school. While he didn’t feel very outspoken at the time, especially about anything personal, he felt that writing music was the best way to open up and express how he was feeling, he said.

“For a lot of people, as soon as they start playing guitar, it’s usually like a year or two before they start writing music,” Duncan said. “But for me it was like instant. As soon as I started learning chords, I was trying to write stuff.”

He’s currently putting his energy into the creation of his self-titled debut album under the Artificial Realities moniker, which will blend psychedelic rock with hints of grunge as well as other rock and alternative styles. The project is intended to be a concept album, he said, meaning all the songs will base around a central narrative and theme. The story of the album will begin with someone taking a psychedelic drug and will end with them reaching ego death, becoming a part of the universe and everything within it. As the album progresses, the music and lyrical themes will follow the journey of the character as they reach different phases of the trip. The message of the project ultimately comes back to the meaning of his name, also being the album title.

“It’s the idea that each person has their own reality in their own head,” he said. “Like their own conceived notion of reality, even

though nobody has an objective experience. Like we’re all just trying to guess. And it’s cool because each song will channel a different perspective.”

In terms of his recording process, Duncan has been experimenting with older recording techniques to create a different feel. He records live instrumentation, including drums and guitar, onto cassette tapes and intentionally turns up the volume in order to create distortion and more interesting timbres.

“I’m just interested in the idea of cassettes and vintage ways of consuming music,” he said. “I got it as a means to be able to record music because I think that would be a cool thing to experiment with because I feel like that could set me apart from different artists — not a lot of people are focused on the old technology. Everyone’s so focused on the new.”

Beyond college, he hopes to get an apprenticeship to further develop his skills, but the ultimate goal is to have a solo career where he can make a steady living, he said. But for now, his top priority is to put together the best work he can for the album, which he can use as a portfolio piece to show his skills in production, songwriting and mixing.

“I’m trying to write a lot of broad stuff that people can relate to, but also flavor it in my own way. Like my take on my own artificial reality.”

His debut album is expected to be released later this summer or by fall at the latest. The lead single, “Oblivion,” will be released towards the end of spring term.

They come from different backgrounds with different influences and stories to tell. But one thing threads them all together like nothing else: their sheer hunger to achieve their dreams and their true passion for music. For all of them, now is only the beginning.

Jules showcases the capabilities of some of the equipment inside the Analog recording space. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

PIP THE PESSIMIST

BY GREEN DOYLE

HEISEN: OREGON HAS A BRAND; THIS MEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON TAUGHT ME IT LACKS A CULTURE

Colleges that have the culture of a sports school retain its fans regardless of wins and losses, Oregon isn’t one of those programs.

BY AARON HEISEN • TWITTER @AARONHEISEN

Oregon men’s basketball season ended on Tuesday. It was a 61-58 loss to the University of Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament — a result thanks to a lategame collapse that encompassed so many of the problems the Ducks dealt with all year.

Along with addressing the unraveling — one that consisted of the defense losing Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn for a go-ahead 3, before forward Nate Bittle missed the game-tying free throw on a night in which the Ducks shot 4-of-12 from the line — head coach Dana Altman ranted about a wholistic problem he’s seemingly had on his mind for some time.

“We should have had more people here tonight,” he said. “The guys are playing hard. If it’s me, then get rid of me. Thirty-three hundred people is embarrassing.”

Let’s set one thing straight: I’d be surprised if Altman got fired.

He makes a point, though. This mess doesn’t just fall on the players or the staff, but it also doesn’t fall on the fans, for that matter. When Oregon wins, fans show up. Let me rephrase that. When Oregon wins a lot, then the fans show up. The Ducks have now missed out on the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons.

It's a setback that needs fixing before another season where thousands of seats in Matthew Knight Arena are empty. But a 21-win, and previously 20-win, season shouldn’t drive fans completely out of the arena.

Simply put, Oregon lacks the culture of a basketball school. It’s a university once built on the prowess of its track and field team, one whose football team survives because of its entertaining traditions.

The seats weren’t empty just four years ago when Sabrina Ionescu and Payton Pritchard ran the campus. Therein lies the everlasting predicament. A true culture would transcend players like Ionescu and Pritchard. It would lead to loyal basketball fans rather than the current fairweather ones.

Can Altman control the strength of the team’s following? Who knows? He said he’s not a promoter. What exactly does it take to create a culture that transcends players; that puts butts in seats; that means more than wins and losses?

It’s a lot to unpack.

Let me pose a question. When you think of Oregon sports, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s not Pritchard or

Ionescu. It’s not Marcus Mariota, Justin Herbert or Steve Prefontaine. Heck, it’s not even the green “O.”

It’s the Nike swoosh.

Oregon baseball head coach Mark Wasikowski said it best. He came to Oregon at a time in which the baseball team “was an easy three wins,” he said.

“They didn’t want to compete,” Wasikowski said. “They were here because they were getting shoes. They were here because they were getting the stuff.”

Is a similar dilemma occurring now with the basketball team?

Read the tea leaves of Altman’s recent press conferences and you start to think so.

“Guys think that, ‘I can go shoot around for half an hour or go shoot around with my girlfriend for half an hour, [and] I’m going to be a better shooter,’” he said after Oregon’s 75-56 loss to UCLA in the semi finals of the Pac-12 Tournament. “That’s not the way it works. I’ve been fortunate to have some guys who love the gym, who want to be great. We got some guys with decent strokes; they just don’t work on it.”

No matter how often he reminisces of a time when he’d walk into practice to find Pritchard, or Chris Duarte, or Dillon Brooks, or Eugene Omoruyi drenched in sweat, he can’t bring them back.

It’s tough to gauge why this iteration of the Ducks didn’t buy into his message of hard work and defensive activity like past ones have.

Maybe some were here for extrinsic reasons, like the merch.

Being around campus, the students are too. Football might be the only sport that would retain its fans during a down year. Then again, the students were asking for Bo Nix’s head after a 49-3 loss to Georgia before Nix went on to be a Heisman candidate in 2022.

And I won't even try to count the amount of times I've heard the phrase: "We're leaving after 'Shout.'"

So, maybe this isn’t just a problem with the basketball team or its fans. Maybe Oregon just isn’t the “sports school” everyone makes it out to be. That’s a conversation for another day.

But if the brand doesn’t translate to wins, is it really that surprising that those seats in MKA aren’t filled?

The past two years, what’s hampered the basketball team is a constant injury bug and a lack of hard-working players. There’s been a revolving door of faces thanks to the transfer portal. But there’s been a revolving door at schools that do have a culture. Take Altman’s past endeavor for example.

Before the Elite Eight was ever in the picture, Creighton sat at 9-8 hosting Providence in a gym packed to the brim with fans. The Bluejays will never have to question if their fans will show up. It’s the same with smaller schools, too. Florida Atlantic, Colgate, Florida Gulf Coast, University of Pennsylvania, Marquette: All these schools have a culture connected to its basketball team.

It’ll help Oregon attract local fans to have the best two kids from its state on the team next year in Jackson Shelstad and Mookie Cook, and returning a rising star in Bittle who hails from Central Point. But again, a culture would transcend the players on the team.

I’m not sure how it’s built, especially if it’s been 13 years of Altman and there’s not a culture. For now, wins and losses will define the basketball team, and it’ll dictate whether those seats are filled. Hence the recent emptiness. My best guess is they will be, as the anticipation for a team led by Shelstad, Cook and K.J. Evans grew with every loss. The return of Bittle, guard Jermaine Couisnard and possibly Keeshawn Barthelemy should help.

In fact, Barthelemy put things into perspective contradicting his coach following the loss to Wisconsin.

“I want to thank the fans that did show up,” he said. “Having a good crowd is so important, but we got to be better at home before we expect some of the fans to show up and be loud. We dropped some games earlier. It’s give and take. We have to be good, then they’ll show up. That’s how it works.” But should it? At Oregon, it certainly does.

Ducks guard Will Richardson (0) makes a pass to a teammate. University of Oregon Mens Basketball defeat the USC Trojans 78-60 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on Feb. 9, 2023. (Maddie Stellingwerf/ Emerald)

WELCOME BACK: OREGON’S STAR SPRINTER MICAH WILLIAMS

The former NCAA champion is on the comeback trail as the outdoor season commences.

BY KEIJI PATTERSON • TWITTER @PATTERSON_KEIJI

“Runners take your marks… set,” the race starter said prior to pulling the trigger at the Texas Tech Open and Multis event on Jan. 27.

This track race commonality was the signal that sent Oregon star sprinter Micah Williams out of the blocks and across the finish line.

Williams posted a 6.49 second 60 meter dash time to secure the victory. His time tied for the best in the nation at the time until it fell a couple weeks later.

In Williams’ next race, the 200 meter, he reached for his hamstring as he pulled up before the line. As a result, Williams was sidelined for the 2023 NCAA D-I Men’s 60M Indoor Championships, two weeks later.

This obstacle marks the second season in a row where Williams is favored for the 60M crown but was unable to compete in the championship race. Last indoor season, Williams false started in the final race for supremacy in Spokane, Washington, at the 2022 NCAA indoors. It’s been two years since Williams was an NCAA champion when he won the event as a true freshman.

Texas Tech junior Terrence Jones took the 2023 indoor 60M crown, with Williams unfit to compete. It’s a bitter pill to swallow for Williams and his supporters as Jones won with a time of 6.46 seconds. Just .03 thousandths faster than Williams, a sign that this event could’ve gone in either’s favor. With the indoor season in the rear view, Williams shifts his focus to tearing up the outdoor track.

Last outdoor season, Williams ran blazing times of 9.83, 9.86 and 9.90 at the USATF Golden Games, Pac-12 Championship semifinals and the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships to conclude the season. After he ran a 9.93 to capture the 100M crown in the Pac-12 Championships, Williams looked primed to be the NCAA men’s 100M champion.

On June 8, Williams won his semifinal heat with a time of 10.03 seconds. However when he got to the finals, he underperformed with a time of 10.19 and placed in seventh.

While he didn’t end 2022 with the individual goals he had in mind, Williams still qualified for the Team USA men’s 4x100M relay team, albeit as a reserve. Williams talked about the guidance he received from the USATF veterans.

“I had Fred Kerley, Noah [Lyles], Grant Holloway and all of them were all great mentors,” Williams said. “They were telling me certain tips about the game and what to expect. Even Fred will comment on my stuff today and help me, that’s the biggest thing.”

When he was asked if losing the Pac-12 and NCAA Championships last season are a driving force for this season, he gave a candid response.

“I just like running, so ultimately I just want to get better,” Williams said. “If I get better and that includes winning then that’s the biggest thing for me. I don’t like looking back… because everyone takes losses.”

With redemption on his mind, watch out for Williams to be a burner this season and bring home hardware.

“I’m just trying to leave my mark… be a person that people look up to, especially in Oregon,” Williams said. “Not too many sprinters in Oregon come out and do what I’m doing.”

Williams discussed how he doesn’t like to focus on the field of sprinters in the U.S. “I try to just focus on myself,” Williams said. “I’ve proven to myself multiple times this year that I can compete with the best.”

Williams’ highest world rankings are No. 13 in the men’s 100M, No. 65 in the 200M and No. 234 overall. He currently ranks No. 21 in the 100M and No. 287 overall, per World Athletics.

Tune in to see if Williams, the “Quad God” – a name given by fans – can improve his world ranking as he takes the blocks next at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational in Berkeley, California, on April 6-7.

Oregon’s Micah Williams places third in the men’s 100 meter race. Hayward Field hosts the third day of the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., on June 11, 2021 (Ian Enger/Emerald).

UO EVENTS TO

UO EVENTS TO

Peer Coaching Drop-in Hours

10:00 a.m.-noon

Tykeson Hall Room 50

Native Studies Research Colloquium – Deepening Place Relationship: A Request for Feedback

Noon-1:30 p.m.

Many Nations Longhouse

Student Employment Enhancement (SEE) Initiative General Meeting

11:00 a.m.-noon

EMU Miller Room 107

UO Piano Festival Berwick Hall

University Career Center Tabling

10:00 a.m.-noon

EMU Main Lobby

Climate Care Hour

3:00 p.m.-4:00

EMU Willow Room 219

National Collegiate Recovery Day

Noon-3:00 p.m.

EMU Fishbowl in front of Starbucks

Protection Connections

Totally Plutonic Speed Boundary Dating Game

5:00 p.m.-8:00

EMU Swindell Room 230

SSC Produce Drop

2:45 p.m.

EMU Amphitheater

Sex Toy Bingo

5:00 p.m.-8:00

EMU Crater Lake Rooms

“Embracing Joy: The Long Game for Literary Diversity” with Professor Mat Johnson

5:30-7:00 p.m.

EMU Redwood Auditorium

Politics of Food power discussion

3:30 p.m.-5:00

McKenzie Hall 375

Oregon Wind Ensemble concert

7:30 p.m.

Beall Concert Hall

LOOK OUT FOR

UO Lobby Day at the Capitol 11:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Oregon capitol in Salem

Trauma-Informed Business Practices workshop 1:00 p.m.-2:30

Lillis Business Complex Room 212

Get Connected seminar series Noon-2:00 p.m.

EMU near the O Desk

Hendricks Park Walk 2:00 p.m.-3:30

EMU Lawn

Earth Day of Service: Grow Resilience EMU 145 & 146 Crater Lake Rooms

Reforming Police for Radical Equality: Lessons from the Civil Rights Era 12:30 p.m.-1:45

William W. Knight Law Center 110

Group X – Empowerment Week in Support of SAAM Student Recreation Center