RACETTE
continued from page 1A
The latest jump takes place today
with the opening of the Lillis Busi
ness Complex.
But Racette doesn't really dwell on
those things. He's not much of "an edi
fice man," he said. What he really cares
about are the students he has taught,
some of whom he still keeps in contact
with nearly 30 years later. Racette retired
in spring 2002 and now teaches only
two classes per year.
'There's a great deal of pleasure look
ing back at the various people, knowing
what they've gone on to do," he said. "If
you think about all of the things that
change, students have been a constant."
Finance Professor Larry Dann, a
close colleague and friend of Racette's
for the past 26 years, said students have
changed right along with the school.
"Students were much more willing
to let the professor come in and lecture
and write on the blackboard," he said.
"It was much more passive in the class
room. I think the change is a real im
provement in education."
Also, he pointed out that the size of
the school has grown tremendously.
When he first started teaching at the
University in 1977, the Chiles Center
wasn't there, he said.
After the Chiles Center was built in
1986 the capacity of the school was es
timated at 942 students, according to
the business school Web site. In the
2001-2002 school year enrollment
topped 2,500 students.
Racette said he is happy to see the ad
dition of Lillis to the business school.
"1 think it provides a wonderful fa
cility in which to learn, and with the
technology there, there are simply a
lot of things they're able to do,"
Racette said. "I think they've done a
pretty good job of trying to make this
building one in which students will
feel welcome. I don't think you can
ask for much more than that. 1 think
from that standpoint, it's great."
He acknowledged that the technol
ogy in the building, including wireless
Internet access and laptop computer
plug-ins, will help professors and stu
dents communicate better.
"Certainly we have a lot more tech
nology," he said. "The ability to get in
formation to students wasn't as easy be
fore. We used to have a group that
would go into a classroom and take
notes and sell the notes to students, for
the ones who couldn't take notes. If you
had a change in office hours or you'd
like to get an assignment or reading out
to people, you couldn't do that."
Racette also said students today are
fortunate because they have access to
resources that didn't exist when he
started teaching. Specifically, he men
tioned tutoring centers, peer advising
and programs that help students find
jobs during and after school.
One thing that will not change
with the opening of Lillis is Racette's
office. Retired teachers will not be al
lowed to move in, but Racette said he
accepts the decision because retired
teachers don't use their offices as
much as full-time faculty.
He added that he doesn't want a
new office. He's satisfied in the aging
basement office, which has been his
professional home for the last 29
years. For him, the main thing is "re
maining enthusiastic and looking for
ward to the next class," something
that hasn't changed, he said.
"He really cares about the stu
dents," Dann said. "He and 1 used to
sit for hours and talk about better
ways to present materials, better
ways to get concepts across. George
gets really animated when you start
talking about that stuff. He's really a
lover of learning."
Twenty-nine years is a long time
to spend teaching, but Racette said
he plans to continue doing it as long
as he is able.
"George is one of the two best
teachers I've seen here," Dann said.
"For better or for worse, George
Racette is one of the reasons I chose
to come to Oregon."
A picture of the old Commonwealth
classroom bridge hangs on the wall in
Racette's office, but even though it was
razed and Lillis was erected in its place he
has yet to set foot inside He said he real
ized the construction crews had a job to
do, and the last thing they needed was for
him to be wandering around gawking.
Besides, he'll get to see the complex *
when it's completed, he explained.
Today will definitely be that day,
he said.
Contact the people/culture/faith reporter
at jaredpaben@dailyemerald.com.
MANDRAKE
continued from page 1A
said in a Nov. 5, 2002 interview with
the Emerald that the new mascot was
designed to appeal to a younger gener
ation and create a buzz around games.
Assistant Athletic Director for Me
dia Services Dave Williford said he
doesn't know if Mandrake will be out
on the field at homecoming.
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"Any time he appears will be on
moment's notice," he said, adding
that the department doesn't usually
make announcements on when the
mascot will be used. Me said a group
of people in the department usually
decide which mascot will be used.
While there was some speculation
last year as to whether the new super
duck would snuff out the original,
University officials stressed that Man
drake was just a secondary mascot.
"It was always intended for occa
sional appearance," Williford said.
While the University has to split roy
alties for Donald Duck with Disney, it
owns the Mandrake mascot and there
fore benefits fully from all royalties.
Some students feel Mandrake prob
ably won't spend his first birthday at
Autzen on Saturday.
"I thought he was received quite
negatively and I think the athletic de
partment knows that, so I'd be sur
prised if they brought him out," jun
ior Carson Fields said. "I think
everyone identifies with the tradition
al Oregon Duck."
Junior Ashley Brodie said she would
n't "shed tears" if Mandrake isn't out
rallying the homecoming crowd.
"1 think he's incredibly scary look
ing, as does half of this campus," she
said. She said people preferred the cute
little duck.
"Just because he's scary doesn't mean
we'll win," she said jokingly.
Sophomore Carla Donoffio said she
hasn't seen Mandrake in person, but
she has seen pictures and she does
agree that he doesn't seem as approach
able as Oregon.
Williford said people can't always agree
on whether something is good or bad.
"Every time you get something new,
it's unlikely that you're going to get a
consensus," he said.
So will Mandrake be at homecom
ing? Find out Saturday when the Ducks
take on Stanford at 12:30 p.m. at
Autzen Stadium.
Contact the news editor
at ayishayahya@dailyemerald.com.
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