The Weekly was absolutely on target in its Slant column on 4/9. Why is it necessary to have coaches who make more than the overpaid president of the University of Oregon? The Athletic Department brings in lots of revenue, over $120 million a year, but spends virtually all that money on itself while student tuition continues to rise.
What is the point of spending so much on athletics if none of the benefits contribute to the academic purpose of the university?
Oregon deserves a first-rate educational institution that can produce well rounded, analytic minds this state will need in the future and musicians and artists who can instill a love of beauty in our communities. Producing a few professional ball players every year is exciting, but that is not the reason Oregonians fund this university.
Can we use this virus-imposed pause to reassess the direction of higher education in Oregon? Can we increase state subsidies to reduce the reliance on corporate donors? Can we require a significant portion of athletic revenue to be devoted to academics? Can we reduce administrative bloat and strengthen faculty? Can we pay more rational salaries to administrators and coaches?
I hope we can.
Charles Dunaway
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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