UO professor urges City Club
to prioritize higher education
■English Professor James Earl
told the Eugene club that a
disproportionate amount
of funding supports athletics
By Katie Ellis
Oregon Daily Emerald
As the expansion of Autzen Sta
dium continued across the
Willamette River, University Eng
lish Professor James Earl on Friday
criticized the increasing influence
of athletics in higher education.
Earl, last year’s University Senate
President, urged an audience of 60
people attending the Eugene City
Club meeting at the Hilton to exam
ine the relationship between athlet
ics and academics. As president,
Earl led a nationwide campaign of
University faculty members urging
reform in intercollegiate athletics.
“I had no trouble gaining support
from other senate faculty presi
dents” at other Pacific-10 schools,
Earl said. “Faculties have not had
much of a voice in the discussion of
athletics and academics, but they
want to have a voice.”
Earl called college sports a com
mercial enterprise that has invaded
universities and derailed the pur
suit of higher education, and he de
scribed the University as an active
participant in this growing busi
ness. While more money and atten
tion is directed toward improving
the athletic program, the Universi
ty continues to suffer from budget
cuts, he said.
“Why should I have to watch
r
Oregonians dip into their pockets
for money for the athletic program
while the art museum is boarded
up because of lack of funding?” Earl
said. “It’s a reversal of priorities,
and the logic is preposterous.”
Although not speaking on behalf
of other University faculty mem
bers, Earl said that faculties have
had the minority voice on this is
sue. Earl began the nationwide
“Why should I have
to watch Oregonians dip
into their pockets for money
for the athletic program
while the art museum is
boarded up because
of lack of funding?”
James Earl
English professor
campaign with the intention of pro
viding faulty members with the op
portunity to voice their opinions.
In response to growing concerns
about intercollegiate athletics, Uni
versity President Dave Frohnmayer
and University Senate President
Nathan Tublitz organized in De
cember the University Athletics
Task Force. The task force, consist
ing of 11 faculty, staff and student
members was established to advise
Frohnmayer on national issues re
lating to intercollegiate athletics.
After Earl’s speech, City Club
members discussed the issue dur
ing a question-and-answer session,
which produced differing opinions
among the members as to which
position the University should as
sume on the issue.
The Eugene City Club provides a
forum for community members to
discuss different community-relat
ed issues. City Club President Don
Kahle said the club’s mission is to
build communication among mem
bers of the community through
open inquiry.
While discussing the issue with
other city council members, Arnold
Ismach, former dean of the School
of Journalism and Communication,
said increased interest in universi
ties as a result of athletic programs
is a national reality.
“My feeling is that the interest
that athletics gains may not fit
our value system but it’s reality,”
Ismach said.
Earl stressed that he does not
want to eliminate the athletic pro
gram and is a self-proclaimed faith
ful Duck football fan who watches
the games on television. Although
he supports the existence of the
athletic program, Earl argues that if
the athletic program continues to
grow, it will impede the Universi
ty’s ability to remain an institution
of higher education.
“Help the University where it
needs help. Give to University aca
demics. I think the Ducks can take
care of themselves,” he said.
E-mail reporter Katie Ellis
at katieellis@dailyemerald.com,
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