UO E-clips, Dec. 19

Arena could thrive with proper management, study says (Register-Guard): Eugene is a pretty small town to support a major multipurpose university-owned arena, but with aggressive management, such a community edifice might succeed here, according to a feasibility study commissioned by the University of Oregon Athletic Department. The arena would need aggressive sponsorships, an aggressive nonsports entertainment lineup and generous contributions from premium seat and season ticket holders to cover its costs, according to the report. The analysis is another step along the way for the UO toward its long-held goal of building a new basketball arena along Franklin Boulevard in Eugene to replace the historic McArthur Court.

Consultants: New Oregon arena would have to be aggressive -(Associated Press, appearing in the Oregonian): A study says a new basketball arena at the University of Oregon would need aggressive management and sponsorships, an ambitious entertainment lineup and generosity on the part of those who buy premium seats and season tickets. The analysis commissioned by the Athletic Department says the Eugene market is small compared to other markets in the Pac10.

Survey gauges school concerns (Register-Guard): A recent survey on Eugene School District policy options revealed few clear preferences, but it did indicate a willingness to shake up the status quo to achieve greater equity among schools. The survey, part of an ongoing process dubbed Shaping 4J’s Future, sought input on a range of strategies, some of which would require difficult trade-offs: school closures, restrictions on boundary transfers, shifts in funding and more. The school board and Superintendent George Russell hope changes in policy and practice will boost academic success overall and close the so-called “achievement gap” that separates students by income level, English ability and race. … “It’s always a balance between sending out a survey and conducting a number of interviews where everybody gets to cast the issue in their own terms. Just practically, it’s impossible to do that,” said Ed Weeks, associate professor with the University of Oregon Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management.