UO E-clips, Jan. 24

UO Senate raises questions on arena, but no opposition (Register-Guard): A campus discussion on the University of Oregon’s proposed new basketball arena didn’t generate any outright opposition to the $200 million project Wednesday. Members of the UO Senate held a sparsely attended special meeting to discuss a list of arena issues but didn’t seek any major changes in the proposal. The Senate plays an advisory role in such matters but cannot compel university administrators to follow its advice. Many senators clearly had concerns about the project and its financing, but none directly opposed it. Senate members raised questions about how the arena project is managed, how environmentally friendly the building will be and how parking will be addressed.

UO Senate discusses arena but a key vote is delayed (The Oregonian): A lack of time prevented the University of Oregon senate from considering perhaps the most intriguing resolution of the five on the agenda at Wednesday's two-hour meeting on the school's proposed $200 million basketball arena. At its next meeting, Feb. 13, the senate is expected to consider a recommendation that the athletic department make "meaningful contributions" to the university general fund for academic use if the arena project is a success. The proposed arena -- to be financed by state-backed bonds -- was the reason for the special meeting of the UO senate. In particular, the senate, which has an advisory role, discussed a UO senate subcommittee report that was critical of the arena's revenue projections.

Arena parking may foul neighborhood (Eugene Weekly): If the Eugene City Code were applied to the UO's proposed new basketball arena as it's applied to other development, the university would be required to build up to 2,778 new parking spaces. But UO officials haven't announced plans for any big new parking garages to meet city code requirements designed to protect neighborhoods from choking with cars. "There's provisions for zero parking," City Councilor Alan Zelenka complained at a Jan. 14 meeting. Zelenka said the Fairmont neighborhood in his ward has grown increasingly concerned with the parking impact of the arena. "Without parking they are turning our neighborhoods into giant parking garages, which is inappropriate."

Parking for new arena concerns UO Senate (Oregon Daily Emerald): At the faculty's second major opportunity to prod administrators about the $200 million basketball arena project - which would be the most expensive college arena in history - many of them expressed continued skepticism about parking for the estimated 12,500-seat arena and whether the arena will prevent the University from spending money on other academic construction projects. Faculty passed a motion suggesting the University follow strict environmental requirements, but it failed another that said the University should request a smaller loan than $200 million from the state. The body also postponed voting on parking issues and revenue sharing between the athletic department and the academic departments.