Football season is here and the University of Oregon Ducks are poised to contend again for the Pac-12 and national championships.  Many Oregonians are passionate about their team and Autzen stadium has a lengthy consecutive game sellout streak going.  Over 44,000 fans showed up to watch the spring exhibition game.

But not all of the fans are happy in Duck Land.  Season-ticket renewals are down.  Oregon's first two home games were the smallest crowds in the last decade and only technically sellouts.  Yet the team plays an exciting style of football, has looked good so far, and the game-of-the-year against USC is looming on November 3rd.  Why the disconnect?

Probably because the U of O Athletic Department is killing the goose that laid its golden egg.  Ticket prices have gone up in each of the last five years, including by 13 percent this year.  The Eugene/Springfield population is less than 250,000 and the stadium holds around 50,000.  We're reaching a tipping point in which the cost of attending one or more home football games is beyond the budgets of many.

The letters to the editor in our local newspaper, The Register-Guard, have lately been filled with fans lamenting the fact that they've decided to not renew their season tickets due to high prices.  The paper's columnist, Bob Welch, wrote a column today with his thoughts on why Duck fans are reaching their tipping point and the arrogance of the Athletic Department.

I'm not a season ticket holder and just watch the games on television.  However, I recently had my own experience with how the Athletic Department is arrogantly disconnected from the university and the community.  I'm the Steering Committee chair for the Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS), a 60+ year-old non-profit that connects University of Oregon international students with local community members.  This week our members are hosting over 110 newly arriving international students until the dorms open on Thursday.  We have a student from Kathmandu, Nepal in his bedroom upstairs right now while I'm writing this post.

Next Sunday FFIS is hosting (and paying for) a welcome picnic for 350+ international students at Lone Pine Farms.  The Eugene Mayor and University President show up at the picnic to say a few words of welcome.  The Oregon Duck makes an appearance to have his picture taken with the students.  This year, the Duck won't be coming to the picnic.

The U of O Athletic Department recently changed its policy regarding community and university requests for the Duck and Oregon cheerleaders to appear at events.  Schools, non-profits and university groups are only charged $200 per hour for the Duck to appear and only $150 an hour for 1-3 cheerleaders to appear.  That's the discounted rate.  The general public is charged $300 per hour for the Duck's appearance and $200 per hour for 1-3 cheerleaders to appear.

So, FFIS families welcome 110+ high-tuition-paying U of O international students into their homes. FFIS hosts a large picnic for 350+ U of O international students, which represents a huge percentage of its budget.  Local businesses donate raffle items and food.  FFIS holds garage sales and other fundraisers to earn money to pay for the picnic.  The University President and Eugene Mayor show up for free.  But the U of O Athletic Department expects us to pay $200 of our hard earned money so that the Duck can show up?  I think that I've reached my tipping point.

Is the U of O Athletic Department the only school that seems to put money ahead of the university and local community?

Next month my wife and I will be living with a graduate student from Kathmandu, Nepal in south Asia.  We'll also be living with students from Japan and China.  In the past, we've lived with students from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Argentina.  Yet our passports have expired, we won't be getting on an airplane, and we'll be sleeping in our own bed every night.  How can we do this?

We don't go to the students' homes.  The students come to our home.  We're a host family for international students attending the University of Oregon through the Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS) and the U of O's American English Institute (AEI).  The University of Oregon has a rapidly growing enrollment of international students from all over the world, but especially from China.

The FFIS homestay program is for newly arrived international students who will be attending the University of Oregon's regular classes.  They stay with local host families for 4-6 days before moving to permanent housing in dormitories or apartments.  FFIS is a local non-profit founded in 1949 to encourage meaningful interactions between U of O international students and residents of Eugene and Springfield.  The FFIS newsletters help to show how FFIS is fulfilling their mission.

The AEI homestay program is for students who come to the U of O for intensive English language training at the American English Institute.  Students pay a stipend to live with local host families for one or more terms.  They are encouraged to participate in family activities.  The AEI homestay family handbook does a good job of explaining the role and responsibilities of being a homestay family.

We hosted the three students in this picture over five years ago and they're a good example of the diverse and positive experiences we've had as a home stay family.

1.  Maguette was a Fulbright Scholar from Senegal in west Africa.  Senegal's primary languages are French and Wolof, except for two regions where English is primary.  Maguette lived with us as an AEI student for a term, moved to an apartment, but visited for holidays and dinner frequently.  He loves garlic corn and tea with lots of sugar in it.  Maguette came back for additional studies a few years ago, returned home, and may return for a month-long visit in September.  We stay in touch with him regularly by Facebook.  He has a laugh like comedian Eddie Murphy, is like a son to us, and calls us "Mom" and "Dad".

2.  Yayoi is from Japan, stayed with us as an FFIS homestay student, and then we moved her into the dorm.  She'd frequently come over with her friends for dinner or holidays.  I can still remember helping her move stuff into various suitcases at the Eugene Airport to meet weight limitations.  She still sends us handmade Christmas gifts every year.

3.  Ali is from Saudi Arabia and a father of four.  Like Maguette, he still calls us "Mom" and "Dad."  He loves cheese and Mom's garlic bread.  I later wrote a recommendation to help him get accepted into a graduate school in Paris.  He has sent flowers to my wife on Mother's Day and we enjoy when he calls us from France or Saudi Arabia to exchange news about each other's lives.

Each student we've hosted is different and leads to a unique set of experiences for them and us.  They return home with fond memories of us and their time in Eugene and western Oregon.  Several have returned, or are planning to return, for visits.  They have become a part of our "extended family" and soon we'll have "sons" from Nepal, China, and Japan to add to our family.

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University District Open House Sat 5/7 Eugene, OR  1-3 PM