Planning for the College Football Championship game

January 6, 2015

Interim President Coltrane and acting Provost Bronet sent the following email to campus about the UO's participation in the national College Football Playoff Champsionship game:

Dear colleagues and students,

We are delighted that the University of Oregon will compete in the first ever College Football Playoff Championship game on Monday, January 12, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. The unprecedented success of our football program is a source of genuine pride, and we appreciate and share the energy and excitement it has generated in our community.

The timing of this game and its scale has required careful planning. It falls on the second Monday of winter term and includes more than two thousand students, faculty, and staff likely to be in attendance. Our last experience in a championship game has provided us guidance and a model for implementation.

Those most affected are the student-athletes and the football team’s undergraduate and graduate student assistants, although the class absences should be limited to Friday, January 9; Monday, January 12; and Tuesday, January 13 for this game. Our Services for Student Athletes advisors will be working with those impacted at the game site to facilitate their academic needs, as necessary. Students affiliated with the marching band and cheerleading squad will miss two class days; Monday, January 12 and Tuesday, January 13.

We ask for the cooperation of faculty who will be contacted by students and staff asking for needed course materials and accommodation. These students should be permitted to reschedule or make up missed work, under our usual guidelines for post-season competitions.

Students who are going to the game should make arrangements with their instructors ahead of time. We ask faculty to employ their usual sensible support and accommodation, at their discretion, consistent with that normally made for personal matters. Faculty and staff absences should be treated like any vacation leave request.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for us all. The University of Oregon will be well-represented in prospective student recruitment events as well as a community service project in the Dallas area.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Sincerely,

Scott Coltrane
Interim President

Frances Bronet
Acting Provost