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The Outdoor program, located in the EMU basement, provides tools to fix your bike as long as the repairs
are done outside.
Outdoor: Maps, equipment on hand
■ Continued from Page 1B
there has to be a trip initiator who
comes in and fills out a trip sheet ex
plaining when and where they want
the expedition to take place.
Then other students who are in
terested meet with the initiator
and begin planning the adventure.
All decisions are made by a group
consensus.
The Outdoor Program provides
equipment, maps and maybe a
few suggestions with trip plan
ning.
Similar programs at other uni
versities hire an outfitter, who
plans the trips, and trained guides
to head the trips.
According to Geiger, students
end up paying a lot more for this
type of program, and they do not
get as much freedom.
“This is about student empow
erment,” Geiger said. He also spec
ulates that programs at other uni
versities that do not operate on a
co-op model spend ten times as
much for the same trips.
The OP takes about 300 trips per
year ranging from hiking Spencer
Butte to sea kayaking in Mexico.
Some of the few tri ps that are ac
tually initiated by the program hap
pen during the Week of Welcome
for incoming students. They plan
about 15 trips that all take place the
weekend before school starts.
Last year, 250 incoming stu
dents participated in these trips
sponsored by the OP.
In addition to sponsoring trips,
the OP is also a resource center for
those who wish to plan private trips.
Maps, books, guides and equip
ment are all available for any stu
dent to use.
There is also a common inter
est board that is used to connect
people together who enjoy similar
outdoor activities.
Geiger comments that people
need to realize the importance of
the out-of-classroom experience.
“It draws people together and a
lot of life-long friendships are
made at OP,” Geiger said. “It
changes people's lives.”
Peer advising helps
explain requirements
Many departments bare
peer advisors who help
students plan and track
their degree progress
By Stefanie Knowlton
Oregon Daily Emerald
University life can be hectic,
but there are people who can
make a student's job a little easier.
Peer advisors help students by
explaining general university re
quirements and specific major re
quirements. Advisors also give
information about the University,
internships and student pro
grams.
Jessica Blumberg, campus-wide
peer advising coordinator, be
lieves that students benefit from
having peers as advisors. “Peer
advisors are available, easily ac
cessible, easier to talk to, and they
know what it is like to be on the
inside track of a particular major,”
Blumberg said.
Ranging form biology to jour
nalism, the University has peer
advisors in more than 20 different
departments. Starting this fall, a
women’s studies advisor will be
added to accommodate the new
major.
Advisors are also available for
students who have not yet picked
a major and need information on
various programs.
The peer advising program was
developed 20 years ago at the Uni
versity to increase the accessibili
ty of academic advisors. The pro
gram has been met with great
acceptance and has run every
year since its initiation.
“I joined because it is a good
way to meet students, develop a
relationship with faculty and to
help people," said Jim Driscoll, a
peer advisor for the business col
lege.
Driscoll is proud of the work he
and his advisors have done at the
business school.
“We have a particularly good
program here,” he said.
The business college peer ad
vising team was voted the best on
campus last year.
“My goal is to continue our
track record of providing good
service and to be the leading pro
gram,” said Driscoll.
Advisors go through an appli
cation and interview process to
become admitted into the pro
gram.
After an advisor is accepted, he
or she is required to participate in
a peer advising class that stresses
communication skills and gener
al knowledge of the University
and requirements for graduating.
Advisors are usually required
to have at least a junior standing
and a good GPA to be admitted
into the program.
In addition to earning two cred
its per term, advisors also benefit
from this program through a sense
of personal accomplishment.
“It is rewarding to notify some
one that they are graduating,”
Driscoll said.
Students also benefit greatly
from the peer advising program
due its accessibility, Blumberg
said. Peer advisors have been so
successful that, as she pointed
out, in some departments they
“are the primary resource of infor
mation.”
'Mm/My skuhh fjymy/
^ - visit during
open house
Sept. 23 £ 24, Wednesday $ Thursday 1:00 - 4:00pm
"Know your University Health Center”
Refreshments
Give-a-ways
\ .
iV /
Enter to
Win Great
Prizes!
Gift Certificates for
Pizza • CDs • Meals
Win a Dorm Refrigerator
and an AIWA Compact
Disc Audio Player
L & Lots More!
tour the
Facility
Meet the
Staff
3
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What’s a sick dr injured duck t<Hto?
c
UNIVERSITY
HEALTH CENTER
--m
We’re a matter of degrees ^
Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesdays (9 a.m.) and Sundays (10 a.m.).
Appointments and after hours: 346-2770 • Web: darkwing.uoregon.eduA-uoshc