UO E-clips, Nov. 1

UO hopes Higher Ed board delivers assist on arena plan (Associated Press, appearing in The Oregonian, The Register-Guard, and on KTVZ.com): The University of Oregon will ask the state Board of Higher Education for permission to request legislative approval of $200 million in bonds to build a new basketball arena. The Legislature previously approved $27 million in bonds to buy land for the $227 million effort to replace McArthur Court with a 12,500-seat arena. If the board approves the plan at its meeting in Aurora on Friday, university officials will go to the Legislature in February to seek authorization for the bonds. If the Legislature gets on board, university officials would return to the higher education board for approval to sell the bonds. The proposed financing departs from the original version of the arena plan, which called for the entire cost to be covered by private donations.

Students go after college fees (Oregonian): Students in Oregon's public universities who are fed up with fees that add hundreds of dollars to their college costs each year will ask state higher education officials Friday to get rid of them and raise tuition instead. A proposal from student leaders and university administrators would bump tuition significantly next fall for Oregon's 81,000 public university students to better reflect the true price of higher education. Students say they are willing to pay more tuition instead of fees because it would help them get enough financial aid and avoid unexpected expenses. … Financial aid packages cover mandatory fees paid by all students, but many fees for specific academic programs are not included in the initial cost estimates, said Elizabeth Bickford, UO's director of financial aid and scholarships. UO's financial aid office increased aid to 400 students in fall 2006.

UO celebrates Hult Center's 25th (Daily Emerald): The UO symphony and choirs will perform at the Hult Center this weekend as a celebration of the center's 25th anniversary. The University and the Hult Center have had a very symbiotic relationship throughout their history. "The opening of the Hult Center 25 years ago has enabled the performing arts to flourish in Eugene," said Brad Foley, dean of the School of Music and Dance, in a press release. "Our faculty, staff and student body are enriched by the many opportunities provided by the Hult's outstanding programming and we are fortunate to have occasional opportunities to present concerts in both Silva Hall and the Soreng Theater." According to a press release, the Beall Concert Hall used to be the home of some of the center's current companies, including the Oregon Bach Festival, the Eugene Symphony and the Oregon Mozart Players.