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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1995)
■ COMMENTARY Rose Bowl helps University By Ryan March Swelling with pride .is we returned home from our rtx ent trip to Pasadena, there were those of use who couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before our beloved Fmrmld published an unfounded bash ing of the Ducks' long overdue success and national recogni tion On January 12. Paul Van Sickle turned those fears into reality, with a confused com mentary that painted a picture of our victimized University falling to the evil blow* of Rich Brooks — the anti-Christ of education. For those who may have missed the article, Mr Van Sit k le explained that our institute of higher learning is somehow suf fering in the aftermath of Ore gon's storybook season, and that the University is ignoring its educational responsibilities by supporting such a meaningless event. To support his claim that our Rose Bowl appearance received too much attention, Paul points to the fact that peo ple seldom turn out by the thou sands to witness such college events as the completion of the Knight Library renovation. Funny. 1 never looked at it that way Come to think of it. just last term I submitted a class project that was to l>c the pinna cle of my educational career, and that too. failed to draw n world-wide audience! Is it pos sible that such events simply weren't designed to attract spec tators? Don’t worry Paul, I real ize that you wore desperately trying to make a point, and since it appears that you're new at this. I'll pardon you for the false analogy. Unfortunately. I can't seem to look past the collection of illog ical arguments that made up the remainder of your commentary Take. for instance. your claim that the University has terminat ed its mission of "teaching and learning" by supporting a department standing simply for "playing and winning " First of all, we should give the good folks at Johnson Hall the benefit of the doubt and assume that somewhere in their professional backgrounds. they have acquired an ability to facilitate education in the wake of a week end football game If such a feat cannot be accomplished, then the problem lies in our adminis tration — not in our athletic department. Furthermore, if you would open your mind. |ust long enough to see what has tran spired through this "Miracle Season." you might find that even football has "taught" us a great deal. As the Ducks rebounded from a 1-2 start to defy the odds and capture the first outright Pac-tO title in school history, thousands of onlookers learned once and for all, that there's never a good time to quit. Kven as the "Gang Green" fell to defeat in Pasade na. more than 45,000 Oregon faithful remained standing as one, saluting a team that had gained national respect and illustrating a lesson that can't often be taught in the classroom — “sometimes even when you lose you win'" If. however, you aren't con vinced by the philosophical implic ations of our athletic sue - cess, at least consider the finan t.ial bottom line. In your artic le, you conceded that the Rose Bowl had earned our University money, publicity and even a sense of prestige. What you cam eluded. though, was that none of these gains could lend to "acad emit: improvement." 1 could be misinformed (I am. after all. an admitted football fan), but it seems to in* that a combination of money, publicity and pro* tiK*’. is the closest thing to an academic suet ess formula tfiat this world has ever seen Without the Rose iiowl. do you think that this University could have pooled together the funds net essary to broadcast n 30-second common ial to an audience spanning 15 coun tries51 I3o you think that the stu dent discount on course books would have int teased, were it not for profits resulting from the stile of Host* Bowl merchandise' You mentioned that you once e mailed former University Prose dent Myles Brand for informa lion — how about dropping President Kruhnmaver n line and asking him what impact all of this publicity will have on our "atademic" institution The bottom line is that our athletic department is receiving money and recognition that will allow it to fund its own opera• turns. so that vow won t have to You < an try as hart) as you wish to minimize the positive effects of our athletu suit css on our at ademic community, but you certainly can't say that it has taken anything a.wav On a < am pus so divided by social and political barriers, I simply can't see the value in cursing a department that has finally giv en our community something to celebrate together If you can't bring yourself to enjoy the moment, and all of this agoni/. ing "Duck Spirit" just gets too much for you. my only advice would be to head to Corvallis At least, as a Beaver, you wouldn't have to worry about footliall success stones dampen ing your "college experience " Hyan March is a senior ma/oring in business management « GRADUA TE FUNDING— Graduate Students: Find out how to use the GRADUATE FUNDING LIBRARY at one of the following introductory workshops: WHEN: Wftlnt Mj.t>. January 18, 12:00 1:00 pm AND Thursday, January 19. 2:00- t:tX) pm WHERE: Cif.ulu.ili’ s< hool, 12r> ( hapman 1 (alt ( .iII <4t> 2804 lor further in/orm.itiori. L More Power To You! Take a journey of discovery from your desk. Venture to new worlds and discover new information right in your own home with Microsoft* f ncarta Encarta sets a new standard for multimedia encyclopedias with 26.000 articles and 100 ■' .md /tdeo eitps Journey on over to the Microcomputer Support Center and check out our academic pricing on Microsoft Encarta and discover a new 'world in your computer Microcomputer Support Center 202 Computing Center • 346 4402 Monday Friday 9am-Sen e mail mppvtoregon Q«t result*. Advertise in the ODE 346-4362 yN'K Quart Snapple ^ (R,9.S>.65)S125 .. „ hp,ve Act Hi discount theatre RetUrn‘l75 eacMRegu'at move price S350 to $630). Not valid for starred to the Mam Save postage: Pa* y h m paid. Desk Store. Save 32C on ea^. __ _— J—.. ' :_ ^ Concert tickets on sole Cmpin Glover $4 00 uo « $6 00 Chmeje Culture Night $7 00. 10 Jj oo THE SISKIYOU: & BIODIVERSITY THREATENED Informational Meeting and Slide Show, 7:30 pm, Thursday, January 19 EMI’ Ben Linder Room I REK a & Shakespeare in Ashland II bother you art- now to tin- Oregon Shakespeare I-estival or ,i seasoned profes sional, a trip to Ashland is always great tun A trip is being planned tor Friday. Saturday ami Sunday, March 17, 1H and 19, 1995 Hays iikhide Twelfth Night. Flu iklUitiilii.L*.'e|ii, l‘ravda and possibly, Mississippi | Vita R«x>ms are being held at the Albion Inn IS-d ami Breakfast (5 rooms) ami Stratford Inn (5 rooms) transportation will be pooled among participants (‘all Frank Geltner at VU>-0(X)7 for details! Rooms on first come, first serve basis. 4 Plays +2 Nights (double occupancy) $160 including service fee / hf Sb%tkf.*pt*trr le^tawl u* tin Ort&tW Irttutirt! TuOSriAv .lannAflr 17 1QM
