UO E-clips, March 12
Top stories for March 12, 2008: The UO's Priscella Southwell, who has studied Oregon's electoral process, is part of a Detroit News story on efforts to do a mail-in vote if there is a re-do of the Democratic primary in Michigan; the Daily Emerald reports that a Thursday workshop will help to reaffirm campus diversity goals; a guest viewpoint in today's Register-Guard says its time for a Chinese-language immersion program, citing UO work along the way; and Sean Hayes, who has taught fencing at the UO since 1997, is quoted in a USA Today story about martial arts taking a Western turn
Dem panel to pitch mail-in vote (Detroit News): A blue-ribbon panel will present to the state Democratic Party this week a vote-by-mail plan intended to solve the impasse over the state's national convention delegates. U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, who is on the four-member committee, said Monday the group is studying Oregon and other examples of how mail-in voting works, and how it might apply to Michigan. ... "Voting by mail is wildly popular in Oregon -- over 80 percent of voters say they like it," said Priscilla Southwell, a University of Oregon political science professor who has conducted surveys on her state's electoral scheme.
Workshop to reaffirm campus diversity goals (Oregon Daily Emerald): As the dust settled after the introduction and discussion of the University's Diversity Plan in 2005 and 2006, the spotlight dimmed. Gone are the contentious, public debates about the plan; finished are the Strategic Action Plans addressing diversity efforts in each department; but just beginning is the actual work needed to accomplish the diversity plan's goals. On Thursday, the Office of Academic Affairs is holding a diversity workshop session where administrators will give presentations and faculty will talk about the challenges of making the campus more diverse.
It's time to add Chinese immersion program (Register-Guard, guest viewpoint): Why do we need a Chinese language immersion school in the Eugene School District? What country is said to be destined to become the largest English-speaking nation in the world? Hint: It's the same country that has bought $1 trillion of American debt and boasts a trade surplus of hundreds of billions of dollars with us year after year. Yes, China! ... The economic advantages of Chinese language knowledge are too numerous to list here. Today, there are a few, currently small, fee-based or private Mandarin language programs in Eugene, such as those through the University of Oregon's Youth Enrichment and TAG programs, through the Eugene Chinese School and at Oak Hill School. (The article also refers to the UO's Center of Applied Second Language Studies)
Martial arts take a Western turn (USA Today): The golf cases propped up against the walls are full of swords, daggers and the occasional bit of chain mail. The halls of the community center ring with the clash of steel, the thud of shields and the quick snip-snip of rapiers. The books quoted are as often as not in medieval German or Latin. … "It's the symbol of knightly power and prowess," says Sean Hayes, who has taught fencing at the University of Oregon in Eugene since 1997.