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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 2000)
Universities monitor Nike, labor groups closely ■All eyes are on the race between the WRC and the Fair Labor Association By Ben Romano Oregon Daily Emerald In Nike CEO Phil Knight’s an nouncement that he will no longer donate money to the University, he made clear his company’s dislike of the Worker Rights Consortium. Officials at University of Michi gan claim that Nike’s refusal to re new its contract with that school was in reaction to the school’s membership in the WRC. This news has had varying ef fects on other campuses across the country that have similar ties to both the WRC and Nike. Nike terminated negotiations April 27 to renew its six-year, mul ti-million dollar contract to supply footwear, apparel and equipment to Michigan’s 25 varsity athletic teams and recreational sports pro grams. The company cited “unac ceptable material terms” in the school’s most recent contracts as the reason for the termination. In a statement released on the same day that Nike discontinued negotiations, the Big-10 school spoke out against the corporation’s attempt to “make an example of a university. The statement went on to reaf firm Michigan’s commitment to in ternational human rights. “We’re not going to back off as a result of this,” said Joel Seguine, spokesman for the University of Michigan. “Most people are pretty supportive of standing firm. We’re standing on principle here. ” At the University of North Car olina’s Chapel Hill campus, there has been discussion of how the school’s relationship with Nike could be impacted by its member ship in the WRC, but the situation UNC faces is completely different from circumstances at Michigan and the University. “We’re aware of (the Nike/WRC issue), but it doesn’t impact licens ing on a day-to-day basis,” said Steve Brummett, UNC director of trademark licensing. UNC does not receive the large private donations from Knight like the University and its contract with Nike is less binding than Michi gan’s. Michigan’s contract made a commitment to a non-specific liv ing wage for overseas workers in Nike factories that is years down the road, a stipulation Nike would n’t agree to, Brummett said. The Chapel Hill school is a mem ber ofboth the WRC and the Fair La bor Association. Both groups have the goal of monitoring conditions in factories that produce university apparel, but the FLA was formed in partnership with industry, while the WRC currently allows no indus try representation on its board. Right now, all eyes in Chapel Hill are watching the progress of both the WRC and the FLA. The question is which monitoring group is going to be more effective, sooner, Brummett said. “We’re waiting to see what hap- ■ pens,” he said. The two groups are in what many involved with the issue have called a race. Duncan McDonald, University vice-president for public affairs and development, said the race is between labor-rights groups find ing a position with the FLA and in dustry representatives gaining a seat at the table of the WRC. Indiana University conditional ly joined the WRC in February. “There has been very little reac tion” to the news that Nike has sev ered ties to University of Michigan, said IU’s Dick McKaig, vice chan cellor for students. Indiana currently has few ties to Nike, but there is talk of a contract between Indiana’s football program and Nike in the future. The student-led initiative to join the WRC was harmonious at the Bloomington campus. The deci sion was made through a series of meetings between students and ad ministrators over the last year, McKaig said. Resignation continued from page 1 Knight’s pledge to stop all per sonal donations to the school. Pape said Kilkenny told him that the events of the past few weeks have put Kilkenny, who holds both University President Dave Frohnmayer and Knight in high re gard, into an uncomfortable posi tion. Pape said he was surprised r when the office of the foundation contacted him Monday with the news that a letter of resignation from Kilkenny might be on its way. “I picked up the phone and called Pat and I said ‘Pat, what’s going on’?” he said. The University Foundation is a private, non-profit organization that has received and adminis tered private, confidential dona tions and gifts to the University since 1957. The Foundation’s 52 member board of trustees is made up mostly of respected University alumni. Donations and gifts to the University, overseen and adminis tered by the board, are used to help various departments cover expens es for buildings, scholarships and faculty. Should Kilkenny in fact follow through on his resignation, Pape said he will not be replaced. The number of trustees, who serve five year-terms, can be anywhere be tween 45 and 55 members. Cur rently Kilkenny has one year left before his term expires. Tom Hager, the University’s di rector of communications, said the University Foundation, although aligned closely with the University itself, is a separate entity. The Register-Guard reported Tuesday that Kilkenny, who grad uated from the University in 1974, was stepping down from the board, but plans to continue to support his alma mater as a donor. “I’m not walking away from that. It’s a great school with great people, and I wish them all the best,” Kilkenny was quoted in The Register-Guard. “By no means am I bailing out on my interest in that marvelous institution up in Eu gene.” Kilkenny also told The Register Guard that while his resignation is a statement expressing his feelings on recent events at the University, he said he holds Frohnmayer in high regard, and his resignation does not mean that he questions the president in any way. uo students when they party 008166 Office of Student Life Data taken from 1998 uo Health center survey. University Of Oregon Student Groups. Advertise your upcoming events in the Oregon Daily Emerald. Special student rates. Call 346-3712
