Emerald THE DAILY
MONDAY, OCT. 21, 2024
INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM PRODUCED BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS
UO’S LEGAL LOOPHOLE
CAMPUS NEWS
The financial breakdown of Greek life
From Private Confession to Public Record
How much does it really cost to join a Greek organization at the University of Oregon?
Under FERPA, UO is allowed to access your personal therapy records. Until this is resolved, your most vulnerable moments could be used against you in court. By Maddox Brewer Knight Opinion Columnist
In 2014, a University of Oregon freshman known anonymously as Jane Doe made a chilling report to the Eugene Police: the student alleged that she had been cornered in a bathroom and repeatedly gang-raped by three Ducks basketball players. Jane had survived the barbaric incident, but her ordeal was far from over. She pursued justice through the school’s official channels and did what most would do when confronted with such unthinkable trauma — she sought therapy. But neither of these resources provided the safe haven Jane had been promised. UO purposefully delayed their internal disciplinary proceedings, allowing the three players to finish their sports season before expelling them. The players – Damyean Dotson,
INVESTIGATIONS
UO and ASUO look to update policies, pass resolution after Daily Emerald investigation The University of Oregon is set to implement a new textbook policy, while ASUO leaders consider their own ruling See pg 11 for story
By Riley Fox Campus News Reporter
University of Oregon sorority and fraternity recruitments are underway, and members of Greek life at UO are required to pay dues and other fees each quarter to maintain their membership. Sorority recruitment took place from Oct. 5 until Oct. 15. Fraternity recruitment varies by chapter, but takes place this year from Oct. 9 to Oct. 20. Students going through recruitment had to pay a fee to sign up, whether they ended up in a chapter or not. They discussed the cost of becoming a member of a Greek organization with the Daily Emerald. Hailey Nordstrom, a UO freshman, shared what she had heard from other students going through sorority recruitment. “For a lot of the girls I’ve been talking to, the cost does affect how they rank the sororities. Some of the girls I’m friends with are paying for it themselves, so it does affect the way they rank [chapters] when we do our preferences,”
Dominic Artis and Brandon Austin – were ousted from the university two months after the incident occurred, but their punishment was hardly draconian. Despite the UO Director of Student Conduct deeming them guilty of sexual misconduct, the students were banned from campus for a mere four years. Their records were scrubbed, allowing them to transfer to other colleges and continue their careers without consequence. However, this crass prioritization of sports revenue-generated profit over safety was just the beginning. In a shocking violation of trust, the UO General Counsel’s office worked with the UO Counseling Center to access the private records from Jane Doe’s post-assault therapy sessions. The UO Counseling Center shared these sensitive transcripts
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CITY NEWS
Family weekend, businesses boom
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CAMPUS NEWS
Oregon Student Association ends operations after nearly 50 years The Oregon Student Association announced on Oct. 9 that it was closing its doors after nearly 50 years of student advocacy work
By Hanna Kalan City News Reporter
By Corey Hoffman Campus News Reporter
The organization stated in a post on Instagram that, “for several years, OSA has faced challenges related to our organizational structure and funding mechanisms, which have made it increasingly difficult to maintain sustainable operations.” Founded in 1975, the organization worked with student governments from institutions across Oregon to provide a collective voice for students in the Oregon State Legislature.
The University of Oregon’s Fall Family Weekend begins on Oct. 25. According to UO’s website, “Fall Family Weekend is an opportunity for you to reconnect with your student and experience Duck life.” Many parents and family members expected to fly into Eugene to see their loved ones in college or attend the Ducks football game. Hotels around the Eugene area are preparing for the influx of visitors.
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