Oregon center Nate Bittle is the Ducks’ newest ranged weapon
CITY NEWS
Eugene Police Commission seeks to update mental health policy
By Hanna Kalan City News Reporter
Currently, the Eugene Police Department does not have a concrete written policy about officer mental health. However, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness subcommittee is putting in time to create one.
“The eyes of the entire country are on Eugene,” Jensina Hawk, police commission chair, said. “We are known for being progressive in thinking when it comes to dealing with things like this.”
Two years ago, the mental health and wellness subcommittee was born after Hawk voiced
OPINION
New Year’s
Resolutions:
How to Stick to Them
By Daria Morris Opinion Columnist
Almost everyone I know starts their New Year off by coming up with a list of resolutions and goals that they want to accomplish and stick to for the rest of the year. These goals may include going to the gym consistently, eating healthier, quitting a bad habit or changing their attitude.
The sad reality is that a large percentage of people who make these resolutions quit sooner than you think. Some give up within the first month of the new year.
Only around 9% of Americans on average complete their New Year’s resolutions by the end of the year. According to a study for Ohio State University by Richard Batts, an institutional design coordinator for Fisher Leadership Initiative, “Research goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the
Shortcuterie:
CAMPUS NEWS
Student complaints arise over unlicensed instructor in Korean minor
Students in the University of Oregon’s Korean program recount the disrupted learning after an unlicensed instructor and spouse of the former department head took over a key course
By Stephanie Jersey Campus News Reporter
The University of Oregon’s Korean minor has undergone several changes in the past five years, marked by high staff turnover and curriculum revisions. In the Fall of 2022, the professor listed to teach Korean 201 and 301 withdrew from the course, leading to the sudden hire of Changhoon Lee.
Students in Lee’s class later discovered he was not a licensed educator but rather the husband of associate Professor of Korean literature and culture, Jina Kim.
Emma Zallee, a fifth-year Korean
minor, was informed about Lee and Kim’s relationship through a fellow classmate.
“A classmate of mine was regularly visiting Professor Kim at office hours to discuss issues with the 301 curriculum and Mr. Lee’s teaching style,” she said. “Professor Kim told them directly in those office hours meetings.”
Zallee recalled the confusion on the first day of class when students arrived expecting Professor Boyoung Kim and were met with Lee instead.
“This man that nobody knew was standing at the front of the class,” Zallee said. “He explained that he
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An inside look at Straub Hall Green’s redesign
Native plants and new irrigation system modernizes Straub Hall Green
By Sasha Love Campus News Reporter
The redesign of the Straub Hall Green, an irrigation project led by University of Oregon Campus Planning and Facilities Management, has prompted a landscaping overhaul.
Since November 2024, the project has focused on adding native plants more appropriate for the climate of the Pacific Northwest.
According to Dan Roll, a grounds maintenance worker, at first CPFM workers were focused solely on updating the “rusted out and broken” irrigation system of the Plaza, but UO ultimately determined that an entire design overhaul was more appropriate.
Morris: Dating in Today’s Generation has Become Increasingly Difficult
Opinion: Due to hook-up culture and increasing lack of commitment, dating as a Gen Z has become difficult
By Daria Morris Opinion Columnist
Whether it’s a relationship or a quick fling, the experience of University of Oregon students when it comes to modern dating varies. However, there is one thing that most of these people’s experiences have in common: it’s difficult.
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According to UO students, most people are scared to commit, some don’t want anything too serious in college, some are looking for a friend with benefits and some fear repeating past dating mistakes. Overall the theme of each of these people is that they want something casual and not long-lasting.
But why is finding a committed long-lasting healthy relationship so hard to come by in this generation? There are many reasons, but one that sticks out to me the most is our paradox of choice.
Welcome to Overhead Oregon! The Daily Emerald will feature anonymously submitted quotes to be the subject of a cartoon! This comic series aims to shed a whole new light on the University of Oregon’s day-to-day. Send in your best quotes to nschwartz@dailyemerald.com for a chance to have your quote chosen for Overheard Oregon. Remember, everything is completely anonymous and only the best quotes will be selected.
UO Olympic Studies Hub becomes first US member of academic Olympic studies
UO’s new Olympic Studies Hub, which will be located within the Lundquist College of Business, will be dedicated to the study of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement
By Reilly Norgren Campus News Reporter
The University of Oregon has launched an Olympic Studies Hub as part of the Lundquist College of Business, making it the first United States member of a network of Olympic research centers.
The Olympic Studies Hub will be housed in the Warsaw Sports Business Center and will focus on the study of the Olympic Games and the “Olympic Movement,” a global initiative that uses sports to promote understanding.
According to Yoav Dubinsky, the operational director of the studies hub, there will be a focus on four key pillars: Experiential learning, research and studies, business and philosophy and multidisciplinary collaborations.
“It’s not just something small (that starts and ends) at Warsaw and Lundquist College of Business,” Dubinsky said.
Dubinsky recognized the long history and relationship between UO and the Olympic Games through Nike, as the Nike company is a partner of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committees.
According to the center’s website, Eugene’s longstanding connection with track and field, the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials and more than 100 alumni who have competed in the Olympics makes it a “special place in the country’s Olympic ecosystem.”
“Much of what the Olympic Studies Hub will do is further emphasize (what) has manifested so far through guest lectures, site visits and study abroad programs where we meet different Olympic stakeholders,” Dubinsky said.
Part of the research of the Olympic Studies Hub is scholarly work at the university level, including sports business courses like SBUS 255, Business of the Olympic Games. It will also include research collaborations with other units of UO like the School of Journalism and Communication and the Bowerman Sports Science Center, and other members of the Olympic Studies research network.
Lausanne, Switzerland is home to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Studies Centre and was named the Olympic capital of the world.
According to Dubinsky, it recognizes 80 academic
institutions from 29 countries as part of the research network. To become a member, UO had to meet criteria which included having a course in the curriculum, like SBUS 255, and ongoing activities that engage both the academic and professional world with a focus on sports business.
Some of the collaborations include study abroad programs. Dubinsky is the faculty leader of the study abroad program Global Sports Business, where students can learn about business strategies and priorities in London, England.
For students in the Sports Business Masters of Business Administration program, they have opportunities to visit New York City or various cities in Europe to visit Olympic stakeholders or previous Olympic host cities.
Dubinsky said that as Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics and Salt Lake City will host the 2034 Winter Olympics, other schools will likely “see value” in the research network and begin to participate.
“There is significance in being the only one,” Dubinsky said. “But I’m not sure that we will be the only ones going forward.”
What students should know if UA votes to strike
UA and UO admin are in mediation. Should a new contract not result in salaries that cover inflation, the union may vote to strike.
By Corey Hoffman Campus News Desk
As mediation continues between United Academics of University of Oregon and UO administration, the possibility of a strike has some faculty preparing students should a new contract not be struck.
The Daily Emerald has provided some answers for what a potential strike would mean for students.
What are UA and UO Administration in mediation for?
According to Chris Sinclair, associate professor of mathematics and UA secretary, there are two major “sticking points” in the negotiations for the contract that faculty work under.
“Time and money. Right now, the sticking point in money is that the University of Oregon administration is proposing real wage cuts for faculty and by real wage cuts we mean when adjusted for inflation, we will be making less money than we were before,” Sinclair said.
The other “sticking point,” according to Sinclair, was the time for instructors to engage with professional development and research.
“Currently, most instructors, or many instructors, have to teach nine courses a year. It doesn’t leave time to keep up with the field, keep up with how pedagogy is changing,” Sinclair said.
Should UA go on strike, when would it begin?
There are several steps in the state-mandated timeline of the bargaining process that have to happen before the union votes, according to Sinclair. There must be a 15day mediation period, which UA and UO are currently in, and a 30-day cool down period before a strike could happen.
“My best guess would be that the earliest that we could (strike) would be finals week of winter (term). I think the earliest that we would, I guess would be the beginning of spring term,” Sinclair said.
According to Sinclair, striking is the last resort, something that both UA and UO administration are looking to avoid. How long could the strike last?
A strike would last until an agreement is reached by the two bargaining teams and the agreement is ratified. According to Sinclair, “If the membership has trust in the
bargaining teams, then the agreement of the bargaining teams would signal the end of the strike.”
What are faculty doing to prepare students for a potential strike?
Several faculty members have included notices in their syllabi about possible labor action and signs have been hung around campus advertising the new UA website, which details what UA is bargaining for.
“At this point, we’re trying not to scare anybody but we want our students to know that this could happen,” Sinclair said. How would students’ classes be impacted if the union votes to strike?
“If there’s a strike, once a strike is called, the instructors teaching classes will not teach those classes. Your instructor will not be in the classroom, they will not be replying to emails, all work that they do for the university should cease,” Sinclair said. Are all faculty members expected to walk out?
“I would expect that if we voted for the strike, that we would get very strong participation from the membership,” Sinclair said
UA covers tenure track faculty, career instructors, part-time and temporary instructors, postdocs, librarians and researchers. According to Sinclair, there are some faculty who are not covered by the union due to legal reasons, such as law professors.
While he was unable to speak for everyone, Sinclair expects a “vast majority” of union members to participate in a strike, should it come to it.
Will classes led by Graduate Educators and graduate students continue?
“I hesitate to speak for GTFF (Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation), (but) I do know that we get a lot of solidarity from the GTFF too,” Sinclair said.
Sinclair said he hopes students understand why faculty could strike.
“We hope that we have the support of the students (and) that they understand that what we’re fighting for is their own educational experience and our needs too,” Sinclair said.
CITY NEWS
Oregon responds to drug use on public transport with SB 1553
By Kellan Quinn City News Reporter
A new Oregon law took effect on Jan. 1, which will impose stricter penalties for drug use on public transportation. Senate Bill 1553 classifies the act as a Class A misdemeanor, marking a significant policy shift for the state, which ful-
The new law makes drug use on public transportation a class A misdemeanor, but will it make riders safer?
ly decriminalized the possession of small amounts of hard drugs through ballot Measure 110 in 2020.
Measure 110 garnered both praise and criticism. Some law enforcement agencies expressed that without proper enforcement mechanisms in place, their ability to combat drug crime was hindered, while advocates contended it would save lives. Although data shows no direct link between the law and increased overdoses, public sentiment was negative, culminating in last year’s rollback of key aspects of the policy.
Under SB 1553, a Class A misdemeanor is the most severe charge short of a felony in Oregon, as offenders can face up to 364 days in jail, a $6,250 fine or both. The new law could notably impact systems like Eugene’s EmX bus line, which allows riders to board without any upfront fare validation and relies on transit police for fare inspections and addressing disturbances.
Holden Friedrich, a University of Oregon student and frequent EmX rider, shared mixed feelings about the law’s implications.
“I think the new law is overly harsh in relation to the crime, but overall I feel like these kinds of laws are important to combat the drug problem in Eugene,” Friedrich said. Friedrich, who identifies as an advocate for drug reform, added, “I’ve personally never seen drug use on the EmX,
Eugene Police Commission seeks to update mental health policy
her hopes to set milestones for the department as they worked to create a policy having to do with police mental health generally and following critical incidents which are currently undefined.
She posed a question to the Police Commission and City Council: “What does success look like? How do we know if we’re 50%, 60% or 0% done with this?”
Hawk was then given the responsibility of running the subcommittee. Later, this position was turned over to Jack Radey who was appointed to the police commission in July after two previous denials.
Typically, the city of Eugene grants six months of working time to a committee. Hawk’s was permitted to meet for two years. The committee now has six months left.
The subcommittee has been working to set standard practices for and relating to officer mental wellness. As for now, the tools for EPD officers are limited.
“There are in fact policies and they are, I suspect, carried out when an officer is observed to be having problems,” Radey said. A supervisor who sees these problems by having daily interactions, may recommend the officer to get help.
“In extreme cases where the chief is convinced that someone is in trouble, he can order that person ‘you need to go see a mental health professional and don’t come back until you have.’ This is used sparingly, I believe,” Radey said.
Additionally, Radey said 10% of EPD officers are trained peer counselors. A supervisor can recommend an officer to talk to one of the counselors.
Radey said the police department wants a full-time inhouse mental health professional, but the subcommittee is considering potential issues with that motion.
“It’s 300 people in the department, it’s a small family, everybody knows everything. You walk down the hall and talk to Dr. Jones, the word slide would spread,” Radey said.
Radey said officers may be hesitant to speak to someone who also works for the department out of fear the counselor may share information with someone in power. Though legally a counselor cannot share what is said in a session unless it has to do with “imminent danger to themselves or others where breaking therapist confidentiality would be necessary to stopping the danger,” the concern is still pres-
ent for some.
“There have been areas where we haven’t made much headway because of an unclear division of responsibility,” Hawk said. “Obviously the chief has the final say so.”
The subcommittee also acknowledged that the human resource department, which is run by the City of Eugene, may have jurisdiction over officer mental health. Hawk said she wonders how the rights of the police union may play into creating mental health standards.
“What we need is to find a way to support our officers so they stay functioning well and so they are well and sane and as happy in their careers as they can be,” Radey said. “In a perfect world, I would find online a department roughly our
but I’ve often seen people visibly under the influence. While I’ve never felt directly threatened, I have definitely felt unsafe around people acting erratically.”
The law does not impose additional penalties for passengers found to be under the influence of drugs while riding public transit. In a statement supporting SB 1553, TriMet, Oregon’s largest transit agency serving the Portland area, cited a 30% decline in riders reporting that they feel safe on buses and trains.
For Lane Transit District (LTD), SB 1553 helps bolster a commitment to the enhancement of safety and community outreach that began in 2023 with the implementation of their Community Outreach and Communications assessment (COCA). In July 2024, LTD appointed Sarah Koski as their first community resource liaison, a position which according to LTD serves as “a touchpoint between the district, the area’s unhoused population and local non-profit organizations.” LTD also partnered with the Reveille Foundation to offer housing services at Eugene Station, providing assessments and housing connections to underserved individuals.
(Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)
The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness subcommittee has been working to create a policy for the Eugene Police Department relating to the mental health of police officers. The subcommittee has six months left to continue their work.
size who has a policy that just seems brilliant and we would adopt it,” he said. “I am 77 years old and I have never lived in a perfect world.”
Radey said he hopes to find a model the subcommittee can take inspiration from.
“I doubt we can get the work done in six months honestly speaking, but we can certainly make a good cut at it,” he said.
He said he believes the subcommittee, the union and police department leadership are all in agreement about steps needing to be taken to support Eugene officers mental health.
Hawk and Radey emphasized to the Daily Emerald that they, nor other members of the subcommittee, speak on behalf of the Eugene Police Department.
( LEFT ) Passengers of the EMX get off at Agate Station in Eugene.
Student complaints arise over unlicensed instructor in Korean minor
had been hired two weeks before the term started and was just given all this curriculum that he’d never seen before.”
According to Eric Howald, UO spokesperson, in extenuating situations, the Office of the Provost may allow departments to hire instructors without master’s degrees.
“In accordance with this process, the university hired Mr. Lee to teach high-demand courses in Korean on a temporary basis,” Howald said.
According to Zallee, Lee lacked the basic UO resources for instructing the class and relied on Kim’s access. Within the 201 and 301 course syllabi, the information listed differs. In the 301 syllabus, Lee provided a Yahoo email address and the header featured the name “Keunyoung Lee” followed by the wrong year, 2021.
“He didn’t have a UO email, and he didn’t have access to the Canvas page, which was still listed under Jina Kim,” Zallee said.
Students enrolled in the class lacked any information and received no clarifying communication from Kim, according to Zallee.
“Everyone was super confused,” Zallee said.
Criticism of the instructor’s teaching methods were echoed by numerous students, including Korean minor Sarah Bathke. They described grading policies as “arbitrary” and complained that homework was often not uploaded to Canvas.
“We did a lot of really unstructured speaking practice, which was the first time we’d ever had that in the curriculum,” Zallee said. “It was nice but very unstructured. He was a little abrasive.”
A turning point came when students learned more about the instructor’s background.
“A friend of mine talked to Jina (Kim) because they had other classes with her, and they found out this man is Jina’s husband,” Zallee said. “He (was) not a licensed professor, and at the time, he had limited, if any, teaching experience. He just happened to be a native speaker and Jina’s husband.”
Bathke described the “frustration” students felt that “nothing got done.”
“I know that other people went and raised concerns,” they said.
Traditional methods of voicing complaints, such as course surveys, were unsuccessful according to Zallee.
“The class survey at the end of the course was under Jina Kim’s name,” she said, “So everybody who did the course survey either looked like they were evaluating Jina or they had to write (Lee’s name) in the course survey.”
After the term ended, Zallee was “surprised” to encounter Lee in her Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT) program.
“After that term, he was a classmate of mine in my teaching courses,” she said. “I don’t actually know if he was a SLAT student or if he was a graduate student in Language Teaching Stud-
Continued from page 1
ies (LTS), the classes are the same and the professors are the same.”
Since then, Lee taught the 300-level Korean course sequence during the 2023-2024 academic year with access to both a canvas page and a UO email. However, neither Lee nor Kim are currently teaching in the Korean program.
His spouse was not involved in the hiring process or decision “ “
- Eric Howald UO Spokesperson
Howald said that there was no conflict of interest.
“His spouse was not involved in the hiring process or decision,” Howald said.
Bathke described the experience as a “disaster” and felt it derailed their language proficiency.
“I should be much more proficient, (and) much more confident as a speaker,” Bathke said. “That class was the beginning of my second year, and my foundation was just ripped away. It completely messed up my trajectory of learning.”
Bathke said this structure affected their performance in the class.
“I remember we did horribly on the midterm,” Bathke said. Some students said they were forced to rely on each other as well as graduate employees.
“The GEs were lifelines,” Bathke said. “Our GE basically retaught everything during discussion sections and answered all our questions because he (Lee) wasn’t capable of teaching.”
The Daily Emerald reached out to Changhoon Lee and Jina Kim but did not receive a response. The Korean Program declined to comment on the matter.
(COVER) Changhoon Lee, an unlicensed instructor, seen instructing a class in the Fall of 2022.
(Photo courtesy of Emma Zallee)
(LEFT) Friendly hall on the University of Oregon campus is home to the School of Global Studies and Languages’ Korean department.
(BELOW) A former student of Changhoon Lee’s class holds up a computer in front of their face, with a message in Korean on the computer. The phrase used by the student, who prefers to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, is commonly used among Korean soldiers to describe meaningless tasks. It translates roughly to, “We were just shoveling it.”
(Miles Cull/Emerald)
How students can file grievances to UO:
What is a grievance?
A grievance is a formal complaint by a student who alleges a violation of university policy, or in regard to actions that can be deemed “arbitrary,” “capricious,” or “unequal in application” toward the student, according to UO’s Student Grievance Policy. These actions must have had an “adverse impact” on the student.
What should students include in a grievance?
Students should include any “relevant” facts and information about the alleged policy violation or actions, the date of the incident, the people involved and the hope for the resolution.
Who can students submit their grievance to?
The grievance must be sent by email or another form of writing to “the supervisor of the person being grieved against or, if unknown, to the head of that unit or department.”
Students with questions about a grievance, should consult with the Student Advocacy Program, the Office of the Dean of Students, or the Ombuds Office.
Graduate students should consult with the Division of Graduate Studies.
When should students file a grievance?
The grievance must be filed up to 45 days after the rise of the incident or problem.
Can students withdraw their grievances?
Yes, students can withdraw their grievance at any time “by submitting a written notice to the Decision Maker who currently is considering the grievance.”
Daria Morris is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is a second-year student at the University of Oregon majoring in journalism and communications with a minor in creative writing.
Daria likes to write about feminist topics as well as deep topics that are related to students’ well-being on campus.
New Year’s Resolutions: How to Stick to Them A TikTok Ban Would Erode First Amendment Rights
While many claim to start New Year’s resolutions, a small percentage of people don’t successfully accomplish them. This is how to keep up with your goals.
first week, and 43% quit by the end of January.”
Author Cynthia Vinney explains why on VeryWell Mind, a medically reviewed news page, that many of us have unrealistic expectations of ourselves. We don’t ask ourselves why we make these resolutions, and we aren’t actually ready to change.
Every year for the past couple of years I have set a goal for myself to start going to the gym more, but I never really stuck to that goal until I asked myself why I really wanted to — that’s when I saw long-term progress.
When I asked myself why, I figured out the reason why I wanted to go to the gym more was not only because UO has an amazing gym which is there for my use, but because I felt like I ate poorly, and that I was tired of struggling with self image problems. I told myself I wasn’t going to pressure myself because of these reasons but allow them to motivate me.
I started with positive self-talk, being flexible with my needs and being generous to myself instead of being discouraged if I slack on my goal. Tracking my progress helped a lot and so did cele-
brating small wins.
Kaihana Soeury, a UO senior, had to change their mindset when coming up with their resolution, as well.
“I think that there is an importance to changing your mindset because with a new year comes a new age individually,” Soeury said. “You have to be willing to make changes because everyone gets older and the older you get the less likely you are to change your thought process. I believe that intentionally changing your mindset now helps.”
Thomas Nguyen, a UO junior, explained how he sticks to his goals when he starts the new year.
“I remember why I am doing this, and I need to treat myself well by doing things to improve myself,” Nguyen said.
There are plenty of other tips and tricks that can help you stick to your goal, as well.
Be very specific with your goals, remind yourself why you want to stick with them and be honest with yourself.
Give yourself time to allow your goals to become a daily habit.
By Lexi Smith Opinion Columist
Lexi is an opinion writer for the Daily Emerald. She is a second-year student studying journalism and psychology. Lexi enjoys writing about social topics such as pop culture.
A TikTok ban on hypothetical grounds of a national security threat directly undermines the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of speech.
So far, the United States government has not made effective efforts to “limit no more speech than necessary” to
Continued from page 1 (LEFT) Justin Francese is a University of Oregon professor
A vast majority of other ways to keep up with New Year’s resolutions have to do with changing your mindset. That can be scary and hard for a lot of people, but it just requires a lot of patience and support.
Small steps are the best way to accomplish something big.
The U.S. TikTok ban does not effectively balance national security and freedom of speech
protect national security. This violation will forever impact social media platforms and the American public’s right to freedom of speech.
For those who are unaware, TikTok “is a popular social media app that allows users to create, watch, and share short videos.” This app plays a large role in marketing for small businesses, supporting content creators and spreading information globally.
Rumors of banning TikTok in the U.S. began during Donald Trump’s 2020 presidency when he issued an executive order to prohibit TikTok due to its alleged ties with the Chinese government. This executive order, however, was blocked due to a preliminary injunction against that ban that was granted by a U.S. district judge, and the executive order was revoked by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
Rumors of a TikTok ban continued to circulate and on Jan. 19, these rumors became reality. American users opened their beloved app and saw a pop-up message saying, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
Less than 24 hours later, the app was miraculously working again with a new message explaining that despite his previous speculations, President Trump made efforts to reinstate TikTok in the U.S.
TikTok’s headquarters are located in California, however, its parent company, ByteDance, is based in China. TikTok’s data collection has raised suspicions within the U.S. government, which prompted this investigation. Along with most social media apps, TikTok uses the data from individual users to improve its quality. American-owned social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook also partake in this same practice. These apps collect personal information such as location, user content and behavioral data.
In April 2024, TikTok was given the ultimatum to sell to a U.S. company or face restrictions in America. TikTok has repeatedly refused to sell, which warranted a ban on Jan. 19.
During this short prohibition, many TikTok users downloaded the Chinese version of TikTok: RedNote. RedNote was an insult to the U.S. officials who support the TikTok
ban since RedNote is directly associated with China. Downloading RedNote was also a form of protest and retaliation by the American public since the TikTok ban is arguably unconstitutional and undermines the U.S. First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
“I thought it was hilarious that people were downloading RedNote because the reason TikTok was getting banned in the first place was because it wasn’t U.S. owned,” TikTok user, Maikaya Moeling said. “There was a big social impact from the users of TikTok to be like, ‘OK, well, then we’re just going to go to an officially Chinese-owned platform.’”
The rise of RedNote came to an end less than a day later due to a 75-day TikTok extension signed by President Trump. The order for ByteDance to sell TikTok was signed into law but has not yet been enforced due to Trump’s executive order.
In addition, the evidence presented to the government against TikTok has not been publicly released, which has a lot of Americans, including myself, questioning if the national security threat even warrants a ban on the platform.
University of Oregon Communication Law Professor Justin Francese explained that it would be unconstitutional to ban a platform without evidence of direct harm.
“I don’t presume to know more than our leaders in Congress or our justices in the Supreme Court,” Francese said. “But I think it is safe to say that shutting down the platform without actual evidence of harm being released to the public in specific ways sets a precedent that undermines the First Amendment.”
The standard balance of national security and freedom of speech will not be constitutionally protected if the TikTok ban is officially enforced in the U.S.
The U.S. government needs to explore less extreme ways to protect national security while respecting the public’s right to freedom of speech.
(Stephanie Yang/Emerald)
ARTS & CULTURE
What the TikTok ban would mean for BookTok
As the TikTok ban remains uncertain, creators and authors reflect on what the app has brought them and concerns they have with the ban. Worries about censorship, financial uncertainty and literacy rates are at the forefront of many minds.
By Bella Graham Arts & Culture Writer
Recent TikTok ban threats have left many sub communities formed on the app waiting in an anxious limbo to see the cultural impact a ban could have. BookTok is one of those communities.
BookTok rose in popularity in 2020 when the pandemic hit, and by 2021 it had turned into a cultural force. Publishers reached out to creators to help with book promotions, dialogue increased between authors and readers and users shared book recommendations with one another.
With the rise of BookTok came the resurgence of reading as a hobby, and over the years, the reading community has flourished. The app has created a space for people who love to read, regardless of if they’re accomplished authors or simply people who like to talk about the books they love. This quality has been beneficial for users, creators and authors alike.
“It’s something about TikTok, and the algorithm that helps me connect with people that are interested in my little cozy fantasy niche,” Erin Ritch, an indie author and creator, said. “It’s not lost on me that the two books of mine that I talk about on TikTok are my most successful by far, and I don’t pay a dime.”
Where traditional marketing avenues made it difficult for self-published authors to break into the mainstream, BookTok has often favored indie authors.
“It’s exciting to talk to people that are excited about your work,” Ritch said. “I would share updates when I was working on my last book, and people were like, ‘Please hurry, we want to read, we’re so excited,’ and that was really encouraging.”
TikTok also allows users to follow indie publishers and new authors, in a way that wasn’t possible before the app. Kaytlin Smith, a BookTok content creator based in Eugene, like many others, used to pick her books by going to bookstores and seeing what looked interesting. TikTok opened a completely new world for readers.
“Just by scrolling, I can come across somebody who’s writing
something completely up my alley, and then I can follow them to see where their journey goes,” Smith said. “That kind of accessibility is not something I ever imagined being possible.”
Authors, in turn, can follow the journey their books take.
“When they were having the really bad hurricanes in Texas earlier in 2024, one of my readers tagged me in a post,” Ritch said. “She had downloaded my book ‘Pippi’s Inn For Wandering Spirits’ on her Kindle before they went a week without power. She said that my book got her through that week, and that gave me chills.”
Interactions like this are common, as TikTok helps connect authors to their readers and share their stories.
A ban of the app would severely threaten this connection, and small presses and indie authors would feel the brunt of the ban. TikTok allows authors and publishers to promote their books for free and build supporters in a way that has yet to be replicated on any other app.
Many BookTok creators and authors have been able to monetize their content and make money off of TikTok shop, to the point where they are able to make a living off of TikTok. A ban would jeopardize the livelihood of many BookTok creators.
There are also concerns among the BookTok community that a ban could have major impacts with regards to censorship.
“The topic of censorship is such a slippery slope that it turns from, you know, we’re just banning this book because of appropriateness for children, and it slides into, we’re banning this app where people are sharing ideas and learning about these kinds of books that are deemed controversial. That scares me,” Smith said.
TikTok has made a world of difference in the literary community. From making reading popular to encouraging discourse to having tangible economic effects, the impact of TikTok cannot be overstated.
As the debate over TikTok’s future continues and the possibility of a ban is still unknown, the BookTok community reflects on the good the app has brought as well as fears of censorship and financial loss. The effect a TikTok ban will have will be felt outside the digital world in ways we have yet to fully grasp.
Shortcuterie: An evening of bite-sized cinema
Rince Turrell II Jr. and Michael Angier’s second annual “Shortcuterie” film showcase screened at Eugene’s Headquarters Wine Bar on Jan. 17, featuring 15 shorts and micro shorts
By Sean Avery Arts & Culture Writer
“Hurrah for cinema!” shouted the exuberant audience, tightly huddled into Eugene’s Headquarters Wine Bar for a cozy evening of laughs, drinks and thrills.
Co-hosts Rince Turrell II Jr. and Michael Angier presented their second annual course of “Shortcuterie” — a thoughtfully curated smorgasbord of 15 eclectic short films. The slate, divided into five “bites” for viewers to sink their teeth into, was organized thematically and featured a healthy mix of locally sourced flicks and nationwide festival favorites.
Self-titled “dandy connoisseurs of the fine things in life,” Turrell II Jr. and Angier began their relationship with cinema straight out of the crib. “I’ve been making films forever … since I was a wee lad,” Angier said.
The “Shortcuterie” perusal process toured the film festival circuit, where Turell II Jr. and Angier activated their keen eyes for comedy. With the help of past Los Angeles connections, the energetic co-hosts assembled a stellar lineup of delectably weird films from emerging filmmakers.
“I’m the kind of person to fall down a content rabbit hole and find weird stuff,” Turrell II Jr. said. “There’s a level of weirdness here that a general audience can’t swallow … halfway between mainstream taste and the truly strange.”
Bite One, “It’s in the Contract,” introduced the night’s festivities with an in-house production titled “Charcuterie Delivery.” Shot from the POV of a charcuterie board strapped to a car roof, the short was split into five chunks, premiering prior to each chapter of the night.
Graham Mason’s black-and-white comedy “Traveling
Man,” following a man who can predict the future, launched the eccentric comedic tone present throughout much of the showcase. Alex Kavutskiy and Jerzy Rose’s “The Bride’s Curse” dipped into the supernatural with a hilarious tale about a man suffering from his wife’s untold family curse.
Bite Two, “You’re Hiding Something,” featured an evening standout, “Partners,” garnering uproarious laughter from the increasingly bought-in audience. From director Curt Neill, the film stars two dudes sitting in the desert drinking beers. They craft a scheme to divorce their wives and marry each other after one suddenly suggests, “What if we kissed?”
Bite Three, “Your Own Little World,” featured multiple animated shorts, including Julia Tudisco’s “Children of the Bird” — a singular, vibrant gem about life, creation, evolution and development.
Bite Four, “Pretty Bleak” quickly shifted the vibe with “The Windless Days” — Kalainithan Kalaichelvan’s somber take on death, loneliness and poverty. Jason Gudasz’s contemplative farm life satire “Everitt Montaine” instantly shifted it right back, offering the night’s kookiest laughs yet. The line “gumption in the wrong direction just makes you an asshole” was particularly memorable.
Bite Five, “Body Horror,” bookended the night with Dave Paige’s eerie comedy “Deep Tish,” following a man subjected to a deeply troubling massage experience.
Attendees Todd and Celeste Edman discovered the event online and had a blast. “It was awkward and beautiful,” Todd Edman said.
“I thought there would be a charcuterie board, which was disappointing,” Celeste Edman said. “But it’s nice to see this many people out.”
Barring a collapse, Turrell II Jr. and Angier are excited to hold another “Shortcuterie” in the future and stressed the importance of student involvement.
“It’s exciting that students are starting to wake up to this as an event,” Turrell II Jr. said. “We would love more student submissions.”
(Maddie Knight/Emerald)
TikTok, a video-sharing social media app, is popular among teens and young adults.
(Molly McPherson/Emerald)
Headquarters Wine Bar is located on 4th Ave in Eugene.
Crossword
Amina Muhammad Athlete of the Week:
The junior forward is making a sizeable impact
By Joe Krasnowski Sports Reporter
Amina Muhammad took the pass in the post midway through the third quarter, firmly grabbing the ball with both hands. She swung her arms one way, then another, until she found the positioning she wanted.
It was then that Oregon’s breakout forward rose for another layup against an overmatched defender.
A program taking a monumental step forward this season is only getting better with Muhammad, a top interior presence excelling at all levels of the game.
With 2024 all-conference center Phillipina Kyei missing time, or being hindered by an injury, Muhammad has elevated her game as the season progresses. Muhammad has added a stabilizing force in the middle for a Ducks’ team (12-5, 3-3 Big Ten) in need of a stopper of the conference’s talented
“I mean, I gotta do what I gotta do for the team,” Muhammad said in the preseason of her stepping in
Transferring to head coach Kelly Graves’ Ducks in the offseason, Muhammad has elevated her game in Eugene, averaging two points per game more than last season and seeing a six-point increase in her field-goal percentage. It hasn’t just been her offense. Muhammad is extremely noticeable on the defensive end as well, using her long reach to get into passing lanes and lauded toughness as a formidable presence in the paint.
“She’s just really solidified herself as someone that’s going to play a lot,” Graves said of Muhammad before the sea-
In that increased playing time — she’s averaging a career-high in minutes played — Muhammad is on pace to set new personal bests in stealto-turnover ratio, scoring efficiency and There’s been more to celebrate in Eugene than just Muhammad’s recent performance, with the Ducks’ 12 wins already besting last year’s total while touting an impressive 10-1 record on
But the 6-foot-4 forward’s emergence has certainly been one of this season’s most pleasant surprises.
Oregon center Nate Bittle is the Ducks’ newest ranged weapon
The 7-foot senior’s deep shot is unlocking head coach Dana Altman’s offense
By Owen Murray Sports Reporter
The big man pulled up from deep.
It’s become a regular occurrence when Oregon men’s basketball plays: The lanky, 7-foot center finds his way to the wing. The ball comes. His mark doesn’t. Splash. It’s what Nate Bittle does.
“It spreads the floor,” Oregon head coach Dana Altman said after Bittle made two against Maryland. “He can shoot ‘em. He shot well in practice (even though) his percentage in game hasn’t been what we want. His looks were good tonight.”
It’s been a standout year for the center (avg. career-bests 13.6 points per game, 51.4% field goal), who played in just five games last year. A broken wrist in his third game of the season held him down. Then an illness kept him sidelined, frustratingly, for almost the rest of the year while Oregon made its run to a Pac-12 Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
He’s back now. He gained 30 pounds since overcoming the illness, Bittle said in a preseason interview. He felt “100%” in April,
nearly a month after the Ducks exited the Tournament. In that same interview, though, Bittle foreshadowed his rise. “We did a lot of footwork stuff this year,” the center said, “(And I’ll) play on the perimeter more.”
Play on the perimeter he has. Bittle is shooting 3.2 3-point efforts per game — fourth on the team, just behind the Ducks’ three guards — and he’s making them, too. There’s no better example than Oregon’s January road trip, where Bittle rolled into Columbus, Ohio and drained four of eight shots from deep, including three in the second half as the Ducks came from behind to win. Bittle made the final free throw too, for good measure. Why not?
Oregon looks different this year. There’s no more star reliance, not really. It’s a team effort, and if that means the 7-foot senior from Central Point, Ore. can drop a few in the bucket from beyond the arc, by all means, fire away: Nate Bittle is a 3-point weapon.
