Potential uses of McArthur Court focus of new University of Oregon committee

EUGENE, Ore. -- (April 28, 2008) -- A committee of faculty, staff, a student and an alumna will investigate potential uses for McArthur Court and make recommendations about the building and its surrounding area by early next year, University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer announced today.

The 81-year-old McArthur Court will no longer be used for athletics after the university constructs a new arena. University officials are committed to using the site and its surrounding area for academic purposes when the new arena is completed.

"McArthur Court is a campus landmark that has served the university for decades," Frohnmayer said. "In addition to financial stability for UO athletics and tremendous regional economic stimulus, a new basketball arena also benefits the university's academic mission by freeing up this highly coveted space near the heart of campus."

The 11-member committee appointed by Senior Vice President and Provost Linda Brady will begin work immediately, reviewing the university's academic and academic support space needs. The committee will investigate adaptive re-use or deconstruction of the building. As part of the process, committee members will also consider university priorities, including undergraduate excellence and student success, research and graduate education, diversity and internationalization, Brady said.

"This committee will play a vital role in shaping the university's future as Oregon's flagship institution," Brady said. "I am calling on committee members to thoroughly investigate potential uses from a broad perspective, as citizens of the university community."

By next spring, the committee, chaired by Robert Melnick, interim director of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, will develop at least three options that benefit the academic mission of the university. After reviewing the committee’s proposals, Brady, the provost, will make a recommendation to the university president about the future of the building and the site.

Members of the faculty on the committee are Mia Tuan, College of Education and Center on Diversity and Community; Pat McDowell, geography; Howard Davis, architecture; Kingston Heath, historic preservation; and John Lysaker, philosophy. Other members are Shelly Kerr, interim director of the Counseling and Testing Center; Darin Dehle, director of capital construction; Chris Ramey, associate vice president for campus planning and real estate; student representative Emily McLain; and alumni representative Gretchen Pierce of Hult & Associates LLC.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: Julie Brown, director of media relations, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

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