Re: “A Bridge to Nowhere” (8/1): “Recent architecture at the UO… conveys arrogance, power and disregard for the surrounding community,” and, may I add, also a blinders-on, head-in-the-sand, outdated attitude about where education is going to come from in the future.
The University of Oregon has shown, with its gaudy edifices and over-the-top (unaffordable to most Eugeneans) “transformation” of Hayward Field, that it is not an institution of higher learning first; rather, it is first a corporate arm of Nike and any other wealthy donors who want to get their names on a building.
Wouldn’t it be great if the wealthy people and corporations put their money toward fully funding every student’s college expenses through graduate school, rather than building monuments to themselves and owning college sports teams for their egos? (I bet they’d spend a lot less than what they are spending now.)
So, to every American university out there who is funded by our taxes but takes orders from their wealthy patrons, enjoy your empty buildings and stadiums when everyone is getting their education from a computer, and when field teams for high school athletes who deserve to get paid for their talents in their best years becomes the norm.
Annie Kayner
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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