—Q—□-L_b e w r h ^
www.dailyemerald.com
Tuesday
Controversial coach *
spent eight successful but tumultuous
>ons as the women's basketball coach. PAGE 7
Tapping resources
The Lane Memorial Blood Bank is holding a blood
drive on campus today and Wednesday. PAGE 6
i vi/n
high 55, low 40
Since 1 900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Runge era comes to an end
■The most successful basketball
coach in school history resigns
after two months of turmoil
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
Jody Runge resigned from her post as
coach of the Oregon women’s basketball
team, effective Monday, nearly two
months after eight players reportedly re
quested that she be fired.
Athletic Director Bill Moos made the
announcement Monday afternoon at a
press conference in the Casanova Cen
ter. Runge was not present and could not
be reached for comment at her home.
“Jody asked that I make the announce
ment for her,” Moos said. “Parties repre
senting Jody and the University met
[Sunday] and reached a mutually agree
able decision.”
Moos said he did not ask for Runge’s
resignation.
“I had some concerns that did not per
tain to the win-loss record,” Moos said.
“This has been a long, tedious and frus
trating process that has finally come to a
close.”
The turmoil within the program be
came public March 4 after eight players
Turn to Runge, page 3
' .
Tom Patterson Emerald
Athletic Director Bill Moos and University Vice President for Administration Dan Williams announce women’s basketball
head coach jody Runge’s resignation at the Len Casanova Center Monday afternoon.
■The University community has
a variety of responses to the
resignation of women’s
basketball coach Jody Runge
By Lisa Toth
Oregon Daily Emerald
When University Athletic Director
Bill Moos announced the resignation of
women’s basketball coach Jody Runge
Monday afternoon, faculty, student and
community reaction to the news ranged
from shock to frustration.
Associate Professor Daniel Close from
the college of education said he was sad
to hear about Runge’s resignation, but
that he was also optimistic for change
within the Athletic Department.
“Her resignation marks the end of a mag
ical yet controversial era,” Close said. “She
brought an incredible energy and enthusi
asm that captivated this community. ”
Close said Runge served as a role model
for many girls, students and community
members, but he added that Runge’s com
munication style and motivational tech
niques sadly led to a dissatisfying rela
tionship with her players.
“I honestly believe that she resigned
Turn to Reactions, page 3
New owner relocates vintage homes despite protest
. ■■■■■■■ .V. ; I''' 11
Adam Jones for the Emerald
Zach Vishanoff stands in opposition to the removal of homes from the Moss Street neighborhood.
University
Housing sold
the homes to
Katherine
Wilson
because
maintenance
costs became
too great
> <■ *
By Chris Ryan
for the Emerald
University Housing officials said
Monday that, despite protests by a
group of people opposed to the moving
of two 80-year-old vintage homes from
their original location on Moss Street,
it was no longer economically feasible
to maintain the houses.
The two houses, located at 1563
Moss St. and 1649 Moss St., were
moved Sunday morning after being
sold to Katherine Wilson, a movie pro
x
X
ducer who restores vintage homes for
rent or sale.
Housing officials decided that
spending the additional money to fix
the houses would take away from the
department’s ability to provide stu
dents with the most affordable housing
possible.
“It doesn’t make sense as far as our
mission to serve students,” University
Housing Director Michael Eyster said.
Because Wilson has the money to
Turn to Move, page 4
). ♦ t ' •.
■Some Eugene residents
believe University Housing
intends to create high-density
housing in the Moss Street area
By Zach Mull
for the Emerald
A group of Eugene residents in the
Moss Street area are concerned about
what they believe is an increasing Uni
versity presence in their neighbor
hood, and some neighbors have ex
pressed concern over the
consequences of possible future devel
opment projects in the area.
Zach Vishanoff, a Eugene resident
and former University student who
calls himself the “Moss Street Defend
er,” said he believes University Hous
ing will convert property in the area
into a housing development.
“It’s clear to me,” Vishanoff said.
“My instincts tell me it will be a new
mega-complex.”
But University Housing Director
Michael Eyster said his department has
no plans for future development in the
area. He said the city of Eugene holds
public hearings more than a year in ad
vance of any new development projects
so residents can express their concerns.
Eyster said that a few houses were
removed from the area because of their
poor physical condition, which made
it economically infeasible for the Uni
versity to maintain them.
“We’re constantly weighing
whether it’s to the cost benefit of stu
dents to repair those houses,” he said,
adding that University Housing has no
current plans to remove or demolish
any other houses in the east campus
area.
Katherine Wilson, owner of the
company transplanting the houses,
said the project will preserve and re
store the homes and that she plans to
move the houses to other locations in
Eugene and restore them to their origi
nal condition. She said she is protect
ing pieces of the city and is not con
cerned with turning a profit.
Eyster said University Housing cur
rently rents more than 100 houses in
the Moss Street area to students with
families.
“We own a lot of that neighbor
hood,” he said.
A plan emerged in the 1980s to turn
the area into residence halls, but the
plan was scrapped before it was put
into action, Eyster said.
University Planning Office Director
Chris Ramey said his department also
has no plans for development east of
Moss Street.
Moss Street resident Bryan Boggs
said he has noticed the removal of
houses in the area over the past year.
“My concern is that it continues to
be used for housing students,” he said.
Despite the absence of University
development plans, Vishanoff said
he’s convinced the Moss Street neigh
borhood will soon be converted into
high-density housing.
Vishanoff said the houses are left un
attended only to be used by “transients
Turn to Neighborhood, page 4