Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 4, 2004)
LAWSUIT continued from page 1A said. "Lawsuit settlements would not be something we would normally bring up." Moseley said the new provost posi tion was not created solely to come to a settlement agreement with Wade, adding that the University would not have created a new position "out of thin air." "We wouldn't want this miscon strued," he said. But Wade said administrators "saw no need for any such position," and that it was his and his attorney's sug gestions that eventually led to the post's creation. "The position came about as a result ... of the negotiated settlement of my lawsuit," Wade said. "It was, I thought, a grand idea. But it was a struggle." Diversity concerns surface Moseley said discussions about cre ating a position to focus solely on cam pus diversity began prior to the 2001 lawsuit, and the settlement was intend ed to prove to Wade that the University would follow through with its plans. "(Wade) wanted assurance that we were going to do that," Moseley said. "And we intended to do that." Moseley added that the settlement did not expedite the process. "Did the settlement make us move faster? No," he said. The issue of diversity grabbed the at tention of University administrators in May 1999, when up to 75 protesters ‘ invaded Johnson I lall demanding im proved campus diversity. By the end of the day, 31 protesters were arrested for . refusing to leave the building. University President Dave Frohn mayer met with about 60 students ear ly the next morning to form commit tees to oversee policy changes. Student interns were appointed to research di versity issues and provide recommen dations, Moseley said. "We shared their concerns," Moseley said. "We didn't really want this to be a confrontational tiling." Moseley said students concluded that the University needed to hire some sort of diversity-focused official. Administrators later decided to hire a consultant to provide further advice on what the University needed to do to successfully deal with diversity issues, Moseley said. In July and October 2001, Western Michigan University President Elson Floyd visited the Uni versity to assess the school's racial cli mate He completed his report in Feb ruary 2002. Wade said it was pressure from the lawsuit that led the University to con sult Floyd. Wade said he originally sug gested the University retain a diversity consultant during the mediation process preceding the lawsuit, which began in September 2000. He said ad ministrators felt no need for such a "grandiose process." Court documents from the lawsuit show that Wade and the University awaited Floyd's findings before any monetary settlement between the par ties was discussed. The report's first recommendation was to "establish a new position of Vice Provost for Institutional Responsive ness (or Equity)" at the University. In September 2002, a national search for the new provost began. The settlement's impact ASUO Multicultural Center Pro gram Adviser Steve Morozumi said the lawsuit, combined with various other pressures from campus community members to improve diversity, proba bly led to the post's creation. 'The status quo doesn't change un less there's a will to change and there's a pressure to exercise that will," he said. But, he added, the administration showed it wanted to address the is sue by including the provision in the settlement. Office of Multicultural Affairs Direc tor Carla Gary said her office and other diversity divisions had been discussing the need for a top diversity player for a number of years, but she said adminis trators didn't feel it was the appropri ate time to take action. Still, Gary said, University members continued to ad vocate for the position. "Decisions come when you're get ting encouragement," she said. Gary said it is possible that the law suit put pressure on the administration to establish the position. She said sometimes lawsuits aren't about win ning — they're about getting people to realize the seriousness of an issue. "1 don't know if it was the tipping point," she said. "It would not sur prise me." Vincent said he feels the administra tion's plan to create his position was sincere. Vincent added that he would have hesitated in accepting the job if he thought it had only been created be cause of legal requirements. "I would have been very reluctant to take the position," he said. "I get the sense that people felt very enthusiastic about this." In addition to the creation of Vin cent's position, the University and Wade settled the lawsuit with the fol lowing provisions: • The University paid Wade's lawyer $10,000; • The University contributed $98,500 toward Wade's Oregon Public Employee Retirement System account; • The University paid Wade $114,537 in additional retirement salary each year from 1997 through 2001; • The University also agreed to fill the position of Vice President for Stu dent Affairs. Contact the higher education/ student life/student affairs reporter atchelseaduncan@dailyemerald.com. Grad School Giveaway Win multimedia essentials! Enter Kaplan’s Grad School Giveaway for a chance to win a free 42" Sony" Plasma TV, Sony* DVD Dream" System, or MP3 player. Visit kaptest.com/giveaway to enter today! 1 -800-KAP-TEST kaptest.com/giveaway Test Prep and Admissions NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec) and students residing ON A STUDENT VISA in these eligible jurisdictions who are eighteen (18) years of age or older as of March 15, 2004. LIMIT: One entry per person. All entries must be received or postmarked by June 15, 2004. For additional eligibility restrictions and instructions to enter, see the complete Official Rules, available at Kaplan centers and on-campus sites In the U.S. and Canada, online at kaptest.com/giveaway. or by sending a self addressed, stamped envelope to 'Grad School' Giveaway. 1440 Broadway, 8" Floor. New York. NY 10018. Thirteen (13) winners will be selected from all eligible entries received in a random drawing to be held on or about August 9, 2004. Odds of winning depend on total number of eligible entries received. Participation in this promotion constitutes entrant s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of the complete Official Rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. TAXED OR OTHERWISE RESTRICTED. If you do not wish to receive notice of future Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions promotions, contact us at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, Marketing Department. 1440 Broadway, 8th Floor. New York. NY 10018. KAPLAN PANCAKE HOUSE <n& cf&cc Located conveniently close to campus, next to the Phoenix Inn! 019183 NEW Extended Hours: 6am—3pm 6am—2pm Additional parking available behind the building in Diamond parking lot on Sat. & Sun. only! 782 East Broadway Ave., Eugene • 343-7523
