UO E-clips, Aug. 23-25

Sisters students can try mastering Mandarin (Bend Bulletin): David Perkins first studied Mandarin Chinese, the official language of China, during college because he was drawn to studying foreign cultures. But what began as an academic interest helped guide his life for decades. ... In Oregon, several public schools have programs, including schools in Eugene, Salem and Portland, according to Carl Falsgraf, director of the Center for Applied Second Language Studies at the University of Oregon. But, Falsgraf said a lot of schools are considering Chinese language programs though they haven't started them yet. "At this point, there's a lot more smoke than flame," Falsgraf said.

Schools short on speech therapists (Mail Tribune): The Medford School District will start the year with a shortage of speech-language pathologists, a problem faced by many schools in Oregon and around the country. Highly specialized speech-language pathologists, who generally earn about the same as a teacher, work with children who have communication and swallowing disorders. Oregon, like many states, can't seem to produce enough speech pathologists to fill the demand, leaving critical shortages in school systems, which are obligated by law to provide therapy to children with speech problems. About 230 postsecondary institutions across the nation offer degrees in speech pathology, which requires a master's degree to perform. Only two exist in Oregon: the University of Oregon and Portland State University.

Reynolds schools boss put on leave after board's vote (The Oregonian): The Reynolds School District superintendent is on paid leave after a unanimous board decision Saturday night. The decision followed Superintendent Terry Kneisler's most recent job evaluation and included a review of exempt public records and advice of legal counsel, district officials said. ... Kneisler also is an adjunct professor in the University of Oregon's School of Education. He co-chairs a Latino Youth Council with Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz Walsh.

Speedo, Puma run circles around Nike (AdAge.com): Imagine if the U.S. had been upstaged in the medal count by Moldova at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. An equivalent scenario played out on the marketing side. Nike and Adidas carpet-bombed the games with endorser-athletes and high-profile sponsorship deals, but smaller competitors such as Speedo and Puma achieved greater surges in awareness and buzz by backing a smaller group of athletes who just happened to dominate the games and much of the conversation surrounding them. ... "The inherent challenge for the little guys at a big event like the Olympics is that you need to swing for the fences, like you're putting all your money in a small-cap stock," said Paul Swangard, director the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. "It's a David vs. Goliath strategy, but it seems to have worked this year."

Even as Bolt sets records, Puma keeps its own clock (Wall Street Journal): Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt's historic Olympic victories have provided his shoe sponsor, Puma AG, with an unexpected burst of publicity on the global stage. And yet the German footwear company's immediate reaction -- as laid back as a sunny Jamaican morning -- is almost the opposite of Mr. Bolt's now-famous celebratory antics. ... Not everyone thinks Puma's approach is clever. "When you swing for the fences and you hit a home run, you have to be ready to celebrate," says Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.