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UO E-clips, Aug. 20
Top stories for August 20, 2008: UO economist Mark Thoma is quoted in a USA Today story on how government building projects are at record levels in a down economy; Business Week talks to Paul Swangard in its coverage of asking how someone should pick a sport-management program; and near Salem, a new sign honors ancient civilization, reports the Statesman Journal, noting the project involved UO archaeologists
Governments' building projects shore up economy (USA Today, similar story by United Press International): Construction spending by federal, state and local governments has reached record levels, lifting the economy and employing some blue-collar workers despite a collapse in home building. The building of new homes and apartments fell in July to its lowest level since 1991, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. A boom in government projects has picked up some of the slack. ... "Tax rebates peter out. Building a new bridge helps the economy long after the work is done," says University of Oregon economist Mark Thoma.
How to Pick a Sport Management Program (Business Week): Getting into the sport management business allows mere mortals to share the glory and the rewards. Here's how to choose an undergrad program. The sports industry in the U.S. is a $200-billion-plus powerhouse, with superstar athletes, lucrative endorsement deals, and all the free press an ego can handle. But if you're not the rare athlete who can hit a 93-mph fastball or sink a 15-foot jumper, how are you supposed to cash in on such a lucrative business? ... Another misconception is the idea that a bachelor's or even a master's degree in sport management will quickly land you the position of general manager with the Boston Red Sox. "One does not become a GM of a major league team simply by going to school and learning stuff in a classroom," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. "The nature of our industry requires not only book smarts, but street smarts."
New sign honors ancient civilization (Statesman Journal): Cascades Gateway Park now has a new feature honoring an ancient Western Oregon civilization: the Kalapuya Native Americans. The southeast Salem park now has a $13,000 display that stands six feet tall and offers three, 3-feet wide, informational panels on the Kalapuya, said Kurt Roedel Oregon Department of Transportation archeologist. Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, city of Salem, Oregon State Museum of Anthropology (Museum of Natural and Cultural History) at University of Oregon and ODOT collaborated on the project, Roedel said.