Document Actions

UO E-clips, Feb. 9-11

Top stories for February 9-11, 2008: American Medical News quotes the UO’s Judith H. Hibbard in its story about a study that questions the impact of quality health-care report cards; News on the proposed UO arena includes an Oregon Daily Emerald story titled ‘Arena report shows early skepticism’ and an Oregonian story headed ‘UO arena key to $100 million gift’ (the latter story also was covered by the Daily Emerald and Register-Guard); The UO’s Jerry Diethelm, a retired professor of landscape architecture, is quoted in a Register-Guard story about hopes to revitalize the Millrace; Lorry Lokey is a major highlight of Slate Magazine’s review of 2007 philanthropy; ‘Model legislation drafted by a University of Oregon law professor is helping members of the Crow Nation negotiate bank loans,’ is the headline on The Native Times’ coverage of UO news release; ‘On the money’ is the headline on a Register-Guard story about UO Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny

Study questions impact of quality report cards (American Medical News): Twenty-one states have mandated hospital infection reporting in the last four years, and 221 health care quality report cards are listed on a Health and Human Services Web site. Last month alone saw new quality reports released in New Jersey, Minnesota and the Seattle area. The premise behind this wave of public reporting is that transparency will spur doctors and hospitals to improve quality and safety while giving patients valuable data to help them decide where to seek care. … "We haven't done a very good job of the way we have designed public reports," said Judith H. Hibbard, Ph.D, a professor in the University of Oregon's Dept. of Planning, Public Policy & Management.

Arena report shows early skepticism (Oregon Daily Emerald): A 2004 report about an earlier version of the University's basketball arena that was far more skeptical of the project's feasibility surfaced on Friday, and it predicted the arena could earn $4.1 million of annual income - drastically lower than the current guesses of $10.5 million to $16.1 million. While news about the report disgruntled faculty who were promised all relevant information about the arena project, the report's author, former City Manager Mike Gleason and current CEO of the Gleason Group, says his work is based on a completely different plan that is irrelevant to current arena plans.

UO arena key to $100 million gift (The Oregonian): Phil Knight's $100 million pledged donation to the Oregon athletic department expires June 1 and is contingent on the university securing state-backed bonds to fund its basketball arena project, according to a document signed by Knight. The pledge terms add urgency to the Legislature's emergency session, during which UO officials are trying to secure $200 million in bonds to pay the entire design and construction cost of the arena. The Legislature's emergency session started earlier month and ends Feb. 29.

Bringing history to light (Register-Guard): It’s right there buried in historic legislation approved by Congress in November: $15 million earmarked for restoration projects in the Willamette River watershed, with priority for a project “to restore the millrace in Eugene, Ore.” Passage of the $23 billion water projects bill -- historic because, to date, it’s the only time Congress has overridden a veto by President Bush -- is the first among several reasons that advocates of a resurrected Eugene Millrace are once again on the hopeful prowl. “I think this is probably our best chance,” says Jerry Diethelm, a retired University of Oregon professor of landscape architecture and longtime cheerleader for rebuilding the hidden section of millrace nearest downtown. “I think there are more things converging to make it possible than I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

The 2007 Slate 60: Donations (Slate Magazine): Two hoteliers known for providing comfort to the well-to-do are leaving a different legacy: aid to the less fortunate. That's the takeaway from the top of our annual list of the largest American charitable contributions. This year, the Slate 60 was compiled, with our thanks, by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. … Lorry Lokey--$112.5 million to various universities. Lokey, the founder and chairman of the media relations company Business Wire, has made five previous appearances on the Slate 60. This year, he gave $74.5 million to the University of Oregon; the bulk of the gift will go toward the Lorry I. Lokey Science Advancement and Graduate Education Initiative. $33 million went toward building a home for Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Lokey also gave $5 million to Santa Clara University, for a new library complex, and $1.5 million Portland State University, to endow a chair in Judaic studies.

Model legislation drafted by a University of Oregon law professor is helping members of the Crow Nation negotiate bank loans (The Native Times): The first-of-its-kind agreement between the Crow Nation and the state of Montana will enhance economic development opportunities and is expected to provide new opportunities for a significant economic expansion for tribal members by making it possible to start small businesses, sustain companies during growth periods and allow for people living and working on the reservation to make the major purchases and investments that drive an economy. The compact is based on the Model Tribal Secured Transactions Act, drafted in large part by UO law professor Carl Bjerre in his role as reporter for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. The organization has been a source of important law reform projects throughout its 116-year history. Bjerre was asked to serve as reporter on this Model Act because of his expertise in the law of commercial lending. The agreement will allow standardized lien filings for members of reservation communities under a uniquely tribal commercial code. Prior to the adoption of the Model Act, banks were unable to rely on liens on property used to collateralize business loans made to tribal members. Access to capital should make it possible to start small businesses, sustain companies during growth periods and allow for people living and working on the reservation to make the major purchases and investments that drive an economy.

On the money (Register-Guard): He’d given the University of Oregon gifts before. Big checks, because after a career in the insurance industry that made him a millionaire many times over, Pat Kilkenny can write big checks. For the past year, he’s given something far more difficult and personal: His time. His life. Himself. At an age when he’d made his fortune, sold his business and expected to retire to the golf courses and beaches of San Diego, Oregon’s director of athletics has immersed himself in a job that he describes as “the hardest work I’ve ever done” for a token stipend of $25,008 per year.

PMR Affiliations

PMR is located within the UO Division of Advancement and part of the Office of Public and Government Affairs.

Other affiliated offices are:

Development

Trademark Management

Creative Publishing

Government and Community Relations

Why, oh why, do people live in the danger zones?

paul-slovic05.jpg

A writer for the National Science Foundation went "behind the scenes" to ask why anyone would live in terrain vulnerable to natural disasters, such as the California wildfires in 2007. The resulting, colorful story about the choices people make to do so focuses on the research of the UO's Paul Slovic. (Read Story)

Welcome new UO alumni ... 66 years after their expulsion

Honorary degree from UO

The University of Oregon on Sunday, April 6, honored Japanese Americans who had been students at the UO when World War II broke out. The students -- including Alice Kawasaki Sumida, shown above with UO President Dave Frohnmayer (photo by Dave Martinez, Oregon Daily Emerald) -- were expelled under a federal order and their education cut short. Frohnmayer told the group that "we are proud to claim you as alumni." Read the coverage:

Media Links

Oregon Quarterly Magazine

Newspapers:
Daily Emerald (UO students)
Register-Guard
Eugene Weekly
The Oregonian

Campus Radio:
a) Eugene's Classical
KWAX (99.1 FM)
b) Student Run
KWVA (88.1 FM)

TV Stations:
KEZI, Channel 9 (ABC)
KVAL, Channel 13 (CBS)
KMTR, Channel 16 (NBC)
KPTV (FOX-12, Portland)
 
Public TV, Radio:
Oregon Public Broadcasting
NPR (LCC, 89.7 FM)
KOPB (1600 AM)

News/Talks Radio:
KUGN (590 AM): UO Sports
KPNW (1120 AM)

UO Alumni News

1) Keep up on alumni news with the official e-newsletter of the UO Alumni Association.

2) Alumni in Portland have their own newsletter: See PDX Ducks.

 
UO physicist creates a laser trap, which acts as a one-way gate to collect atoms

Daniel Steck mugPhysicists, including the UO's Daniel Steck, have created a laser barrier that lets atoms through only in one direction -- the barrier stuffs the gas into a smaller volume with only a minute increase in its temperature. The Science News, online, presents feature coverage of Steck's work, which was published in the June 20 issue of the journal Physical Review Letters. (Read Story)

Turns out great dads make a big difference, reports the R-G

Scott Coltrane mugScott Coltrane isn't on the job yet as the new dean of the UO's College of Arts and Sciences, but he drew media attention on Father's Day. Coltrane, a sociologist who studies the role of fathers, was featured for his research that shows that both moms and dads are happier individuals when the dads get involved in the workings of their households. (Read story)

2006 Clark Honors grad gets leading role in new 'Breakthrough Generation'

Jesse Jenkins, Clark Honors College gradBreakthrough Generation, a new national youth organization sponsored by the Breakthrough Institute, has officially launched, and one of its associate directors is Jesse Jenkins, a 2006 graduate of the University of Oregon's Robert D. Clark Honors College. (Official announcement)

Sun Power: Vignola quoted in Oregon Business cover story

Ore Business June 2008 coverIn the cover story "Here Comes the Sun," on "the rise of the solar industry" in the June issue of Oregon Business, UO physics professor is quoted. He says "two thirds of Oregon receives more solar radiation than does Florida, and even soggy Astoria gets more sunlight than Germany, which leads the world in solar installations." (Read the story)

By ocean 70,000 years ago? UO's Jon Erlandson featured in Discover magazine

ancient points

Mug-Jon ErlandsonPopular science magazine Discover recently spent time with the University of Oregon's Jon Erlandson. The result, a long feature story about Erlandson's research on ancient Ice-Age mariners. (Read the story)

PMR Contact Info

Phone: (541) 346-3134
Email: pmr@uoregon.edu


Staff Members (Position Details)
Phil Weiler: 541-346-3873; pweiler@uoregon.edu
Pauline Austin: 541-346-3129; paustin@uoregon.edu
Julie Brown: 541-346-3185; julbrown@uoregon.edu
Jim Barlow: 541-346-3481; jebarlow@uoregon.edu
Zack Barnett: 541-346-3145; zbarnett@uoregon.edu
Shannon Rose: 541-346-3314; roses@uoregon.edu

About the Office

Indian Country Today features teacher ed program

CoEproject

A University of Oregon teacher education program designed in collaboration with the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon was featured recently in Indian Country Today. The master's program in the College of Education is open to students with a bachelor's degrees who are members of federally recognized tribes or are descended from members. Students receive tuition and a monthly living stipend as well as book and computer allowances. The program's grads must teach at tribal or Title VII-funded schools. Click HERE to read the story.

 


Personal tools