m
mill
- quit using cliches,
but for now...
- use every experience
at the uo to enhance
my education
- find the beauty in
everybody and
everything
- be the queen of the
world before I die
encourage my friends
and other uo students
to drink responsibly
... or not at all.
Mitra Anoushiravani
Political Science & Theater Arts
ASUO Vice President
Reactions
continued from page 1
gered.
“People say this is a big blow.
What is it going to be a blow to?”
he said. “Our academics will stay
the same. It’s sad that people are
focusing attention at one person’s
money on campus.”
HRA member Sarah Jacobson
agreed and said that while the pro
testers deserve the credit for the
University decision to join the
WRC, they are not responsible for
Knight’s decision. She added that
the decision fuels accusations that
Nike abuses its workers who make
University licensed products.
“For Nike to be so anti-WRC, it
begs the question: What do they
have to hide?” Jacobson said. She
had only been in Eugene for a few
hours before hearing the news.
Soon after she helped pack up the
tents at the administration build
ing she went to Washington, D.C.,
to the International Monetary
Fund meeting protests and a work
ers’ rights meeting in Mexico.
Those who participated in the
protest, including members of stu
dent government, had been criti
cal during the protest of Frohn
mayer’s reluctance to sign the
WRC without hearing from a vari
ety of University committees. But
on Monday night, the general con
sensus was one of support for ad
ministrators for holding their
ground as rumors of Knight’s de
cision circulated last week.
“This is a victory if Frohnmayer
and the University stand by the
decision they made and not suc
cumb to corrupt corporate influ
ence,” Sullivan said.
Mostly, they were critical of
Knight’s reluctance to use the
many opportunities he had to dis
cuss the matter with University
administrators.
“He has turned it into a lose-lose
situation,” ASUO Vice President
Mitra Anoushiravani said.
ASUO President elect Jay Bres
low said Knight’s decision was fu
eled by student activism but the
administration ultimately decid
ed its fate, one that should remain
despite the amount of money lost.
“Is it tragic? No. Will it cripple
the University? No. We’ll still be a
great school,” Breslow said.
But freshman English major
Derek Bell, who walked by the
protest each day on his way to
class, said he thinks the situation
is more severe than Breslow and
other protesters make it sound.
The WRC decision “was a slap
in the face to Phil Knight. It’s a
privilege, not a right, to accept his
money,” Bell said.
oemor Caleb Smith, a former
Oregon defensive lineman, called
Knight “a great guy to talk to” who
has been very dedicated to both
athletes and students as a whole.
To have something as drastic
as this come about is disappoint
ing because he always had every
intention of operating in good
faith with the University and do
ing everything he could to help
us,” Smith said.
Senior geology major Greg
Miller said he suspected Knight
might pull money out of the Uni
versity even before rumors began
last week. He said that although he
agrees that worker rights overseas
are important, the University
should have taken into considera
tion those students who will be af
fected without Knight’s monetary
contributions.
But Breslow said that, ultimate
ly, the right decision was made de
spite losing the multi-millions the
Nike CEO could have provided
the University in the future.
"We don’t know what has
changed,” he said. The adminis
tration “made the right decision,
and they’ll have to deal with it.”