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UO E-clips, March 6
Top stories for March 6, 2008: The annual Law School environmental conference begins, with coverage by the Oregon Daily Emerald; international affairs directors reinstated to their positions, the Daily Emerald Reports; and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says the ruling that universities can keep their sports marketing and rights deals secret is a setback for open government
Annual Law school environmental conference begins (Oregon Daily Emerald): Every March, the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, the world's oldest and largest gathering of environmentalists, unites more than 3,000 students, activists, attorneys, scientists and concerned citizens at the University. "It's definitely become an annual gathering for people in the public interest community," said University law student Aaron Bals. "It's like Christmas." Starting today and continuing through Sunday, March 26, PIELC includes more than 125 panels, workshops and presentations regarding issues such as reducing our carbon footprint through urban gardening, Native American treaty rights, industrial hemp's potential to be a fiber alternative to trees, forests and climate change, and air and water pollution, among others.
International Affairs directors reinstated to positions (Oregon Daily Emerald): Provost Linda Brady rescinded the decision to dismiss two Office of International Affairs directors Wednesday. Kathy Poole, director of Study Abroad Programs and Magid Shirzadegan, director of International Student and Scholar Services were reinstated and will resume their previous jobs immediately. Brady acknowledged to Shirzadegan personally and in a memorandum to the University community "the earlier decisions were based on an incomplete understanding of the circumstances." Although the exact circumstances remain unclear because the report obtained by the Emerald was redacted to protect the privacy of the people involved, Brady said the thoroughly considered issues contributing to the decision arose at least six months prior to the dismissals and she was unaware the information was inaccurate.
Universities can keep marketing information secret (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press): Open government advocates received a disappointing setback last month when the Oregon Attorney General's Office issued an opinion declaring that the state's two largest public universities can keep sports broadcast and marketing rights contracts confidential under the state public records law. The opinion, issued Feb. 25, held that the University of Oregon and Oregon State do not need to disclose the contracts because they're considered "trade secrets," which are exempt under Oregon's public records law.