Seniors sent off with speeches.
grab bags
■The EMU Amphitheater
buzzes with conversation,
ska music and pizza
By Serena Markstrom
Oregon Daily Emerald
The air smelled like pizza and
sounded like music Thursday as
seniors ate, mingled, reminisced
and took final photos with the
Duck mascot at a send-off party
sponsored by the Alumni Associ
ation.
The annual event took place in
the balloon-decorated EMU Am
phitheater and gave students a
two-hour break from classes and
studying.
This year, Liz Smith, incoming
vice president of the Student
Alumni Association, was in
charge of coordinating the event.
Though it took a lot of organiza
tion, Smith said she had a lot of
support.
“It’s a fun event to put on,” she
said.
The Accelerators, a ska band
that played original songs and
covered some favorites like Billy
Joel’s “My Life,” entertained the
crowd of hundreds of seniors
who generally agreed it was good
that there was an event put on just
for them and their hard work.
“I think it’s nice they finally
gave us something for spending
four years and a lot of money
here,” said Michael Perkins, a po
litical science major, who added
that he enjoyed talking to people
about their progress in school.
“It’s crazy to see all these peo
ple graduate who I never thought
would make it.”
Students expressed mixed feel
ings about the grab bag they re
ceived, which contained a mag
net, a pen and a compact disc
case, all marked with the Alumni
Association insignia.
“It’s cool you get free stuff, but
when my brother was here they
got pint glasses,” said Emilie
Lavin, who will graduate in the
fall with a degree in psychology.
The grab bag didn’t fly with Je
remy Burbank, who finished
classes after winter term and will
graduate with a degree in busi
ness administration.
“I think it kinda sucks,” he
said.
Other than the gift, however,
the senior send-off was fun for
Burbank.
“I’m having an excellent time
mingling and seeing people for
the last time,” Burbank said.
Another senior, Annelise Nor
ton, said she would have appreci
ated a different type of music.
“It’s a good atmosphere, people
are friendly, we’re enjoying our
selves. But it doesn’t compare to
the party I’m going to have for
graduation.”
Students also said they were
glad to see so many people show
up because they may never see
them again.
“It’s really nice to be around
friends that I have known since
freshman year,” said Hong Tran,
who will graduate with degrees in
political science and sociology.
Students halted their conversa
tions to listen to University Presi
Catharine Kendall Emerald
Students were able to enjoy pizza and live music by the ska band The Accelerators.
dent Dave Frohnmayer and Uni
versity Vice President Duncan
McDonald say a few words.
McDonald, who was attending
his 25th senior send-off, said stu
dents will miss the University af
ter they graduate.
He then gave a pitch for the
Alumni Association saying it was
a good way to stay connected to
the school.
Frohnmayer said it was a good
sign for the graduates that the
weather cooperated.
University, state seek environmental sustainabilitv
■ Protectingand preserving
the environment can help
the economy, experts say
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
With strong environmental pro
grams such as the nationally
renowned campus recycling serv
ice, the University and the state of
Oregon are considered by many
as international pioneers in estab
lishing sustainable measures for
the future.
Gov. John Kitzhaber issued an
executive order May 17 that de
mands state agencies to adopt
greater sustainability practices
and to m^et economic goals by
2025. The main objectives of the
order are to increase economic vi
ability for all Oregonians and im
prove the efficiency of energy,
water and land use.
“Sustainability means using,
developing and protecting re
sources at a rate and in a manner
that enables people to meet their
current needs and also provides
that future generations can meet
their own needs,” the governor’s
order states.
Dr. John Baldwin, director of
the University’s Institute for a
Sustainable Environment (ISE),
said the state is an international
leader in establishing more effi
cient environmental policies.
“Oregon, more than any other
place in the U.S., has made the
commitment to properly develop
economic sustainability and con
serve what’s here.”
With its strong emphasis on en
vironmental protection, the Uni
versity has also established itself
as a leader of sustainability, said
Christine Thompson, a planning
associate in the University’s Of
fice of Planning.
“The University has done an
awful lot, especially in recycling
and transportation,” Thompson
said. “We’re way beyond mast
universities, but there’s still more
we can do.”
Throughout the past decade,
the University has made huge
strides to promote better sustain
ability practices, including the
creation of the ISE and the Uni
versity Recycling Program, which
was named the best school recy
cling program by the National Re
cycling Coalition in 1997.
Karyn Kaplan has been one of
the major contributors to making
the campus more environmental
ly friendly. As the manager of the
campus recycling program and
head of the Environmental Issues
Committee, Kaplan said she is
glad to finally see more support
for environmental concerns being
generated.
“Other places are doing it,” Ka
plan said, “but Oregon is a strong
leader in presenting reasonable
solutions.”
Not only is protecting the envi
ronment a good idea, it’s cost ben
eficial and will eventually lower
taxes too, Kaplan said.
“We don’t want to waste the
valuable resources we have; we
want to invest for the long term.”
In terms of the physical layout
of the campus, Kaplan said that
University is great at promoting
the use of bicycles, as evidenced
by the small number of parking
spots for automobiles.
The Campus Planning Com
mittee (CPC) has also developed
guidelines for better sustainabili
ty; the group hopes to have a final
version of its Environmental Poli
cy Position Paper completed by
this fall, Thompson said.
In a recommendation to Uni
versity President Dave Frohn
mayer, the CPC said the Universi
ty has done incredible work to
promote sustainability in many
facets.
Stronger enforcement policies,
however, need to be implement
ed to in order for the University to
reach its goal — to be a world
leader in creating and maintain
ing sustainable solutions.
“Every little thing that every
one does makes a difference,” Ka
plan said.
On Tuesday, the CPC will meet
at 3:30 p.m. in the EMU
Metolius/Owyhee Room..
Sustainability plan
The governor’s executive order
calls for the development of pro
grams that meet the goafs of envi
ronmental sustainability by 2025.
The University is already in line
with the executive order with
many of its own sustainability
measures and groups, including:
* The institute for a Sustainable En
vironment
* The Environmental Studies de
partment
• “Green”chemistry, which looks
to reduce the use of toxic chemi
cals
♦The Campus Comprehensive En
vironmental Policy
♦ Campus Recycling Program
♦ Office ot Environmental Health
and Safety
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