Nov

30

President Lala

November 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment

The University of Oregon has been a very interesting place for the last two weeks. In a surprise late night email, our President, Dr. Richard Lariviere, announced that the Oregon Board of Higher Education was not going to renew his employment contract which ends June 30th, 2011.

This major announcement spurred a lot of local news, union activity, faculty involvement, and testimony. Heck, even our students started a campaign “We stand with the Hat”, a nod to the President’s regular adornment of a fedora.

Thanksgiving evening, a man from Eugene, who has been in town for about ten years, asked me what was going on at the University. This individual, who works at Sacred Heart Medical Center, was unfamiliar with University politics.

He asked me why the President was being let go. In a ~20 minute explanation, I outlined the configuration of the Oregon University System (7 schools), its governing body, statewide politics, university donations and state expenditures, and the mistakes the aforementioned President had made politically. In short, he pushed for the University to be separated from the state university system, against the wishes of the SBHE and governor.

Why would he do this? Well, he continued a mission which had been started by his predecessor, Dave Frohnmeyer. The mission outlines creating an advisory board independent to the university, and establishing a large endowment. The endowment would be funded initially by the issuance of state bonds, the annual payments for said bond would be equal to the 2011 allotment of funding issued by the state to the university. Thus, the state could “lock in” its expenditure for the next thirty years by cutting the UO free.

Oregon faculty/staff/affiliates believe this plan could lead to more investment in the university, an improvement in compensation to its employees, and a reduction in state oversight.

Will it work? Who knows.

Perhaps its important here to outline the schools included in the OUS: Oregon, Oregon State, Portland State University, Oregon Institute of Technology (kfalls), Eastern Oregon University (La Grand), Western Oregon University (Monmouth), Southern Oregon University (Ashland).

The problem with this plan has more do with the other 6 schools in the OUS, and more realistically, just a few of them. The way I see it, UO, OSU, and PSU, are financially capable of supporting themselves. OSU and UO have donors augmenting their funding. PSU has an incredibly large base of both donors and active students. THe others? SOU, WOU, OIT, and EOU, I do not believe have the same ability to support themselves. Realistically they simply can’t. Their student populations are small, and their campus locations are not located in well populated areas (which come with rich people to donate).

So we have a system with 7 schools, three of which bring in funds and four of which require support. UO is the “flagship” institution. It has a large donor base, famous rich donors (Knight anyone?), a large endowment, and a large student body. And that student body is charged the highest tuition in the state. But even in state don’t play a large part in this discussion, its the OUT of STATE students who really bite the bullet, paying nearly four times as much as the locals. This means that UO, which is capable of supporting itself, has the ability to return money to the state coffer. Oh, wait, not the state coffer, but rather to the large pit which the other OUS schools create. Thus, the system is dependent on the flagship institution to carry the weight of the other schools.

Privatization, or the “individualization” of Oregon, with a private board of trustees, and its own autonomy risk damaging those other schools.

So thus we get to my explanation of President Lariviere’s plan and push, and how its not good for the greater good.

That doesn’t quite answer the next step.

One week after the shocking announcement by the Hat, another major change. The Board of Higher Education voted to terminate the president. Not at the end of his contract on June 30th, but rather immediately. He was given 30 days notice, ending his employ before the end of the calendar year.

More than 6000 faculty, staff, and students, protested, testified, and fought for the Hat. The board, some members in tears, was not swayed.

So why immediately?

I would argue that they were scared. I mean, their entire argument centers around the lack of trust the board and the governor had in the President. If they didn’t trust him, and he was a short timer, what in the world would happen in the next 6 months? I’m sure they expected something drastic.

And quite frankly, I hope that he does do something drastic in the next twenty-something days. It would add to the excitement.

But instead, its the faculty who are starting something. Due to a very bizarre organizational structure, the UO faculty somehow have the power to lead the UO.

So today, I watched as the UO faculty, in a statutory faculty meeting in accordance with the school’s charter, voted to continue activity on the president. 1800 people sat in attendance, with about three hundred voting faculty. Students challenged the order of the court with their riotous outburst, community members shouted out follow up comments, and the faculty challenged the Chancellor and Board of Education member (1 in attendance) to earn the trust of the faculty, who felt robbed by the loss of their President. There was even one student who spoke up about how her faith in the state board of education made her regret attending the university of oregon, but she was inspired by the faculty standing up for their leader and spokesperson. Brought a tear to my eye.

And my old boss, venerable faculty member and past dean, Robert Z Melnick, made a speech that brought everyone to strong applause (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/971644/uomatters/OUS_Lariviere/rzm%20statement.pdf). In the completely out of control commentary, he described our Chancellor (the only one in the country without a Doctorate) as pretending to be an academic.

One faculty member read a statement from Congressman Peter DeFazio. Two of the area state assembly people spoke as well.

And throughout the process, the Chancellor and the Board Member responded to questions, encouraging an open dialog, encouraging trust, and discouraging any efforts to support Lariviere.

That activity? A few motions.

1) To inform the state legislature of the faculty’s lack of confidence in the Chancellor (who’s contract expires in the month of december)

2) To request that the board of education make public a vote of confidence in the Chancellor.

3) To move the state legislature create a board of oversight independant of the state board of higher education and chancellor to oversee activities of the university. And interestingly enough, one of the requirements of said board? To be able to choose and appoint the President of the University.

So let me get this right, the faculty, who report directly to the state legislature, are requesting the state set UO free, and establish a board of trustees who can appoint a president. So they are telling the legislature to go against the Governor, and the State Board of Education. Oh, and the crust, to create a system from which Richard Lariviere could in fact be appointed back to the Presidency of the University.

So, as we think about this more, what is gonna happen? Who the heck knows. But my bet? Nothing happens, the Chancellor continues on, someone the faculty hate is appointed president, and the University of Oregon continues on it’s merry way.

Oh, and a lot of faculty will retire and quit, or move to other institutions.

So whats my take? Politics suck.

Just like big business, just like congress, just like the recession, and just like the 99%/1%/Occupy/whatever garbage…

Things in the US are broken.

Care to disagree? Find a news article discussing the ongoing events around the president, the state board, and the governor published outside of the state of oregon. In fact, there is only one I’ve found, a NYT article (published twice with the same content, on the 23rd and again on the 28th).

For more followup information, one might look to the UO Matters muckraker blog (here).

Hmm…. I guess I developed an opinion along the way. Honestly, I’ve tried to just gauge interest, and look at both sides along the way, but clearly a bias developed as I discussed the actions.

For two good pieces explaining the smart action of dismissing the rogue president, read the Willamette Week or Kezi’s take.

http://kezi.com/page/231775

http://wweek.com/portland/article-18266-flunk_a_duck.html

Oct

20

We have one for you too.

October 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Now, its fairly common, with my first name, to get other peoples email.

About 1/3 of the time, I get a “Thank you” from the errant sender after I notify them of their mistake.

This example however, stands out as the best. And no, I haven’t taken further action.

From: Richard
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 10:11 AM
To: Chris
Subject: Re: Thank you for your work !

Yes,we have a bottle for you to R !

From: Chris
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:01:32 -0700
To: Rich
Subject: RE: Thank you for your work !

I’m fairly certain that your message was intended for someone else.

That being said, I’m rather tempted by the bottle of scotch 

Thanks,

Chris XXXXXXXXX
System Administrator

From: Rich
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 5:27 PM
To: Chris
Subject: Thank you for your work !

Hi Chris, I’m Back in town now. I had to go to Phoenix and take care of parents for 6 days on there needs. I guess this is what happens when your the oldest. I have a bottle of scotch for you to celebrate your addition ! Shoot me an email when a good time to come over. Rich!

Sep

27

Unthank part 4

September 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Dr. Unthank closed his medical practice in 1970, after 40 years. He retired his general practice, to commute daily to Salem as a member of the medical staff of the Workman’s Compensation Board.

When assessing Dr. Unthank’s major impact on the Portland community, it is important to observe his family as well. Dr. Unthank’s children were also active in the Portland black community. DeNorval Unthank Jr and Tom Unthank were his two sons. Dr. Unthank said “To Give up? To return violence for violence? Those are not solutions. They won’t get anyone – black or white – anywhere in this world.” This ideology was passed on to his children. Through their ups and downs, we witness the greatness of his family oriented man.

Bill Hilliard, the Oregonian editor recalled his childhood. Around “fifteen I went out with two other blacks to caddy at the golf course. We stopped at this drug store on 28th and Gladstone. The guy would not let us have a Coke. We wanted them to take out. We told him what he could do with this cokes. That night we came back, we used Dr. Unthank’s car, put a handkerchief over the taillight so they could not see the license plate, and smashed all his windows and got out of there. I was one of those kids that did that. Dr. Unthank’s son DeNorval, who is Tom’s brother, and who is now an architect in Eugene was another one, and John Minor was the third. He is now the superintendent of schools in East Palo Alto. I don’t know how we turned out like we did. We thought we were pretty bad. We also thought we were pretty militant. “ DeNorval Unthank Jr. became an architect in Eugene, Oregon, graduating from the University of Oregon in 1952. His childhood militias apparently was not worn off ten years later, when he proposed to a white woman. Interracial marriage was still illegal in Oregon. His wife-to-be moved out of her sorority house after a cross was discovered burning on the lawn. The marriage received national recognition, with Time magazine offering to pay for the cost of their wedding (in another state). His practice, Unthank, Poticha, and Seder architects, did many projects in Albina. Jr was a member of the PUL, and designed their headquarters. Unthank Jr.’s architectural assistance was a key element of the urban renewal of the Albina district through the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.

Tom Unthank shared his father’s appreciation for education. In 1971-72, his son Tom led a group of John Adams high school students in the study of Black History in Portland. Acting as a project consultant, he wrote the summary report. The project was 15 students, who conducted oral interviews, studied with the director of the Oregon Historical Society, collected pictures, and then shared that knowledge. The group traveled to Tigard High School in Portland where they taught a 3-day course in Black History. They traveled to Eugene, and shared a radio show with aspiring congressmen.

Dr. DeNorval Unthank died in 1977. The entire Portland community mourned his death, by all races. As Urban League director Sheldon Hill said, “Contributions he has made to the community over 50 years have a lot to do with the direction race relations have taken in this town.” Every major change in racial discrimination in Portland between 1930 and 1970 can be attributed in some way to Dr. DeNorval Unthank. It is impossible to imagine where Portland would be today if not for his efforts. His leadership in the Urban League, the City Club, the NAACP, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Regents for Emanuel Hospital, his 22 years of service on the Human Relations Commission, were vital. His efforts in education, campaigns for political change, research and person sacrifice make him the most influential person in the history of race relations in Oregon. As a previous staff member put it, “The barely-heavy man, with a frequent smile and a laugh you can believe, plays down the idea that he was any kind of pioneer.”

Sep

26

Unthank part 3

September 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment

In 1943, Chester Moore was elected chairman of the HAP. “HAP followed traditional city realty practices that encouraged racial exclusion and in Chester Moores’s words, the “setting up [of] certain districts for Negroes and Orientals.” (Rudy Pearson “A Menace to the Neighborhood”, 2001, p168) Wartime housing projects located within Portland city limits were reserved for Whites only during the war. In addition to the six thousand blacks living in Vanport in 1944, another five thousand lived in Guilds Lake (north west of the city). Some blacks lived in Vancouver, as Washington had a history of being more accepting than Oregon of blacks. In fact, the state of Washington may not have been founded without the mullato man George W. Bush, who with his wagon party settled near modern day Tacoma when Oregon’s exclusion law prevented his settlement.

Through his membership in the elite City Club, Dr. Unthank participated in a survey of blacks in Portland. The Club’s 1945 report noted the challenges facing blacks in housing, employment, and society. (Need to add from report here)
The knowledge he gained through the City Club report seems to have inspired Dr. Unthank. In 1945, he sacrificed his examination room for the offices of a new organization. The Portland branch of the Urban League started with the recruitment of Edwin (Bill) C. Berry. The Urban League sought to “assist the community in the process of integrating Negro Americans, to the end that conditions under which they live, work, and play may be improved.” Through the use of studies, surveys, education, and supporting existing local organizations, it promoted interracial understanding. Dr. Unthank served as the President of the Portland Urban League.

By 1946, the Portland Urban League (PUL) was working with many other groups. Those included the Council for Civic Unity, the Committee on Interracial Principles and Practices, the NAACP, the Negro Citizens and Taxpayers League, the Committee on Racial Equality, the Oregon Prison Association, the Portland Industrial Union Council, the Portland League of Women Voters, and the Ship cleaners scalers and Preparatory Workers Local 1404. Postwar Portland was no less racist and discriminatory than prewar times. The HAP continued to hold nearly 5000 blacks in the Vanport housing district, unwilling to settle them in public housing in the city. Whites in Portland struggled to maintain their stranglehold on their communities. There were about 5000 blacks living in Portland in 1947, 2500 of them in Albina, and the rest scattered around the city. The Portland Urban League fought for all of them, and equality.

In 1948, Vanport flooded. This was the greatest flood disaster in Oregon since 1894. In the one-hour it took to flood the entire community, thousands were without homes. For blacks, this was a sizeable problem, as they struggled to get assistance from the HAP, could not buy real estate in most neighborhoods, and Albina was over crowded. Many of these people were taken in and housed by the community, as they had nowhere else to go. Dr. Unthank lead the Urban League in politics, campaigning to reduce discrimination. Blacks needed employment and housing, and whites used laws against them. In July 1949, the Fair Employment Practices Law became effective, with the Urban League’s Edwin Berry appointed by the governor as a special consultant to assist the Department of Labor.

Dr. Unthank served on the Mayor of Portland’s Committee on Intergroup relations. His medical practice had acquired a large gypsy population, and advocated for their needs as well. The Committee on Intergroup relations led Dr. Unthank to form the Human Relations Commission. Unthank fought equality through every venue, the Portland Mayor’s office, the City Club, the Urban League, the NAACP, the Human Relations Commission. He served as the President of the Urban League until 1952. He also served as the President of the Portland NAACP chapter. Dr Unthank was central to the passage of the 1953 Civil Rights Bill.
All the while, he maintained his medical practice, including traveling across the country to medical conferences, NAACP meetings, even visiting the Chicago Defender. As a doctor, he had been unable to gain privileges at any Portland hospital. This meant that for any major medical procedures, blacks were forced to use white doctors. Finally in 1955, with the petition of Dr. Walter Reynolds, he was admitted to the staff of Emanuel Hospital. As a community leader, a well-known civil rights activist, it had taken him 25 years to be able to use the hospital.

Dr. Unthanks efforts were gaining national recognition. In a Jan 29, 1955 article, the Chicago Defender applauded Portland’s blacks. “in proportion to their numbers – 5,000 in a total population of 400,000 – they are putting up a stiffer fight for de-segregation, than the Negros of New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, or any other of the metropolitan cities of the USA. Credit for the success, thus far, of Portland’s Negroes to de-segregate the city’s “all-white” residential areas goes to their Urban League…”.

In 1957, the City Club committee on “something” produced a second report on ‘The Negro in Portland’. This report detailed the life of blacks in Portland, and detailed the lack of progress during the previous ten years. In the report, the group acknowledges that Portland’s back population has stabilized at 11,000. It heavily critiques the HAP and its lack of actions on behalf of Portland’s black population.

Starting in 1958, Dr. Unthank began to reap some rewards. The Oregon State medical society named him “Oregon Doctor of the Year”. He was the first black to receive this award, and came from the same organization which refused his membership for nearly twenty years. The greatest accomplishment and reward to the Urban League, and Dr. Unthank’s endless efforts came in 1961. Oregon state legislature passed ‘Oregon’s Fair and Equal Housing Act’. In 1962 he was named citizen of the Year by the Portland chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Accolades did not stop Dr. Unthank, who once again stepped up and served as President of the Urban League in 1962. He continued to serve on the Oregon Committee for Equal Rights (the Human Rights Commission he founded).
In 1966, as part of urban renewal in the Albina neighborhood, the Portland City Council recognized Dr. Unthank. A park was created and dedicated in his name, located off Shaver Street. The park was dedicated in 1969. It would be interesting to know Dr. Unthank’s opinion on this recognition, as demolishing existing housing created the park. More than 50 families lost their homes in this “renewal”. The HAP noted that these previous residents were located to newer homes in other areas of the city, but a large majority of them ended up in equally poor housing in Albina.

Sep

25

Unthank part 2

September 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment

DeNorval Unthank (dee) was born December 14th, 1899, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was one of 8 children. As a child, he was sent to Kansas City Missouri, where he was raised by his aunt and uncle from the age of 9. He attended the University of Michigan and received his B.A. He then took two years of medicine at Kansas State. Eventually he received his medical degree from Howard University in Washington DC. After Howard, he “took a special 18 months’ course in treatment of the eye, ear and nose at the Mercy-Wheaty hospital in Kansas City.” (Advocate 1/(18/25?)/1930). He practiced for three years before moving to Portland in 1930. His practice in Missouri had him working in public schools, and in an obstetrics clinic.

Dr. Unthank came to Portland alone, to get settled before his wife and three month old son joined them. When he arrived, he found what Portland black residents already knew, blacks were not welcome in hotels. He quickly found residence in Albina, and his family joined him. They purchased a home in East Moreland, a mostly white neighborhood south east of downtown. He met with neighbors and verified that his black family would be accepted, and purchased his home for about 700 dollars. Before even completely settling into their home, the Unthanks found all of their windows broken. This “welcome” to the neighborhood was intended to encourage them to not move in. Despite the threat, the Unthanks settled into their home.

Unfortunately, not two months later, they came home from an evening out to discover a similar tragedy. Rocks, glass, and garbage littered the floor of their home and once again they had no windows. Thelma Unthank felt she knew the culprits. She quickly lashed out verbally at one of her white neighbors, accosting her for not preventing the destruction of their home. Police arriving on the scene to document the destruction of the home arrested Mrs. Unthank on charges of “threatening a felony”. Dr. Unthank was approached by a group of white neighbors with a petition signed by over 75 names, requesting he move from East Moreland. In response, he offered to sell his home to them and leave, if they paid him 1500 dollars. This price was higher than the costs occurred to him, and the whites refuted it as extortion. Dr. Unthank was a member of the Portland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Through a telegram, the national headquarters heard of the harassment being levied against Dr. Unthank and his family. The local NAACP appealed to the police, and received a commitment of regular evening patrols past the Unthank residence. Dr. Unthank was shaken by the events, as noted by family friend Kathryn Bogle. “He could not be a doctor, and worry about the safety of his family all day and night.” Bogle told an interviewer. “I told him take care of your family first, and then you can be a physician.”

Mrs. Unthank came to trial for her ‘threatening a felony’ charges. The charges were dismissed by the Judge in front of an overflowing courtroom. The black community, including the NAACP, had come to support the Unthanks. Her lawyer, Beatrice Cannady, was editor of The Advocate. This victory aside, Dr. Unthank made the decision to move. In his pursuit of an acceptable home for his family, the Unthanks moved three more times before settling permanently on Tibbett street.
Personal housing settled, Dr. Unthank also needed to maintain an office. During his first month in Portland, Dr. Unthank made plans to share offices with Dr. Booker, (a black dentist). Dr. Booker had offices in the Panama Building at Third and Alder (Mangun 436). Dr. Booker came to Portland in 1927, and after months of failing to find accommodations, somehow received support of the Morning Oregonian. The article in the paper petitioned some building to offer space to the dentist. The owner of the Panama building rose to the challenge. The Morning Oregonian also published the opening of the dentist’s offices, as the (white) Mayor of Portland was in attendance. The two doctors planned and moved into a combined office in the building. Unfortunately after only a month, their landlord informed them of protests made by other tenants, which would require them to move. Dr. Booker returned to his previous suites, and Dr. Unthank went in search of an office. The Advocate, a black newspaper in Portland, lauded its audience to “not only give him their moral support but … support him with their dollars and cents …” (Advocate 2/15/30). Dr. Unthank next moved to an office in the Commonwealth building. He moved his offices again before November 1930, operating out of his own home(s). Separating work and family, he settled into a new downtown office by March 1931. His permanent offices were in the Arata Bldg., at 12½ North 6th Ct. this office on 6th and Burnside would host his practice until his retirement in 1970.

Portland presented a significant challenge for blacks in the 1930s. Dr. Unthank’s experience demonstrates the challenges of housing discrimination. He was lucky to have a professional practice for self-employment, but he witnessed the employment struggles of others. During the early years, he received a significant patronage from loggers. “They were about the only people working during the depression,” Dr. Unthank said. “They’d stay out in the woods for three months or so, get paid and come to Portland to blow their money. While they were here, they’d come to see the doctor.” Dr. Unthank had a friendly and comfortable demeanor, and quickly became a community leader.

Low income and minority housing became a national issue during the late 1930’s. The New Deal’s National Housing Act of 1937 provided funding for housing agencies nationwide. The Portland Realty Board, lead by Chester A. Moores, was offered five million dollars to create a housing agency. The Board rejected the offer, choosing to focus instead on private realty opportunities. When the wartime employment opportunities brought a population burst to Portland, it was the only major west coast city to not have a housing agency.

In 1941, city officials fearing federal intervention due to a housing crisis, created the Housing Authority of Portland. The organization was dominated and controlled by same prominent white businessmen and realtors, including Chester A. Moores. Their actions were focused on how to maintain the system of segregation and increase private housing opportunities. They made no progress towards public housing options.

Blacks coming to Portland found the same housing challenges faced by existing blacks. They were unwelcome in hotels, unable to find housing, and at best were able to secure lodging in the home of a Portland family. Dr. Unthank stepped into action. With Clarence E. Ivey, a personnel manager for Kaizer, they hosted a meeting for black community leaders at the Albina YWCA. The YWCA deserves mention as one of the few publically accessible facilities. Aside from churches, the YWCA was the location of most gatherings, from birthdays, to community meetings. The group discussed how to deal with the housing shortage. In 1942, Dr. Unthank organized a smaller group of leaders for this task. He formed the Emergency Advisory Council. The Emergency Advisory Council sought to force local government to adhere to federal Executive Order 8802, mandating equal opportunity to wartime employment in government and defense industry.

Instead of government, or committee, Portland’s job and housing problem was solved by big business. Sidestepping the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP), Kaizer purchased 648 acres of land outside city limits. The company took a plan for worker housing to the Federal Public Housing Authority, and received approval. In 1942 construction of Kaizerville was begun. 3000 blacks had migrated to Oregon for employment by 1942. For the first time, blacks were the largest minority group in Portland. In wartime, Vanport housed over forty-two thousand residents, including around 20,000 blacks. The HAP was not pleased by Kaizer’s move, and HAP eventually got control of placement in Vanport. This control allowed them to continue their segregation practices in Portland.