Letters to the editor

University priorities

The realm of "Otherrr"

Reading yesterday about the progress being made to the new track field at Oregon State University, I was again reminded that music, like almost every other College, School, department and faculty member at OSU, belongs in the world of "Otherrr."  

I first learned about the world of "Otherrr" a couple of years ago when I called the OSU Foundation to make my annual contribution to the music department. Each year, I donate some money so that we can purchase extra Thorazine blow darts to sedate those students who lose it during the biannual infestation of box elder beetles in Benton Hall.  

When I informed the person on the phone that I wanted to make a donation, a vaguely valley-girl voice said "Athletics or Otherrr?"  "I beg your pardon?" I responded. She repeated her response, though it sounded almost like, "Athletics or Whateverrr?" After being transferred to "Otherrr," I made my donation.

I did not keep this experience to myself.  The next day, I had a friend call and make the same request, and he got the same response.  We did not keep this experience to ourselves, and soon the President and chief "whateverrr" of the Foundation reassured us that this had happened because some temporary employee had messed it up. You know those wacky temp employees; they just say what pops into their heads. Doubtless, had I called a week later, the response could have been "Sheep Barns or Otherrr."

This obsession with athletics can be found elsewhere. If one goes to the Daily Barometer online, then clicks on the various subheadings (News, Best of Campaign, Staff, etc.), one again notices that the choices basically come down to "Sports" and "Otherrr."  Which makes me think that perhaps the Barometer and the Foundation could join forces in a fundraising effort to target specific sports? Or not.  Whateverrr.

Michael T. Coolen

Emeritus Professor, Music Dept

More on Provost Randhawa

Expectation challenges

This letter was inspired by Angela Carlson's letter to the Barometer interview with Provost Sabah Randhawa last week, in which she said that department chair positions at OSU have largely disappeared as a result of the campus-wide reorganization led in part by the Provost. That's true, of course, but I had a different response to Provost Randhawa's remarks about the complexity of the department chair position. As a department chair for nearly 25 years at OSU, I always felt that the job had two major challenges: (1) satisfying the expectations of two masters — the dean and the faculty — whose interest frequently diverged; and (2) setting an example for the faculty by leading in research and scholarship.

I didn't see an awareness of these challenges in the Provost's remarks as published, and therefore, I was disappointed.

Christopher K.

Mathews, Ph.D.

Professor of Biochemistry