Facilities Services is feeling "electrified" since it reached a monetary milestone of more than $1 million in energy incentives from the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) for energy-conservation projects completed over the past four years.

With the recent addition of approximately 12,000 gross square feet in new buildings and remodels, the university should be using considerably more energy, but yearly energy use has actually stabilized due to the conservation projects that have been studied and implemented through the combined efforts of EWEB and Facilities Services employees.

"Without the EWEB energy conservation incentives, and without the support of George Hecht, director of Campus Operations, and Dan Williams, vice president for administration, we wouldn't have these energy-conserving measures," says Ron Neet, utilities manager. "They have allowed us to design and install the most energy-efficient measures in the remodels, and to standardize and upgrade existing campus equipment."

Most recently, EWEB provided a $422,000 incentive for a chilled water project that modernized the university's chiller plant and replaced two old steam-driven chillers with new high-efficiency electric centrifugal chillers.

Campus buildings use steam for heating and chilled water for cooling, depending on the time of year. Even when outside temperatures are in the 50s and 60s, the buildings require cooling because of the number of occupants and heat-generating sources such as computers, lights and other equipment.

The university had two inefficient absorption chillers that were unable to meet the demand created by new facilities, and EWEB's incentive led to the installation of state-of-the-art variable frequency pumps with digital controls.

Typically, these projects are identified and engineering firms are brought in to conduct energy studies. Then, the costs associated with the firm's recommendations are tabulated. Finally, EWEB takes those numbers, determines the amount of savings the project will generate, and proposes monetary incentives based on those numbers.

"Our partnership with EWEB is good for the university and good for the environment, and it saves money, too," says Laurie Matsen, Facilities Services. "We are the second largest electricity user in Eugene, behind Hyundai, and any measures we take for conservation have an enormous positive impact in the surrounding community."

Other projects have included the EMU Food Court, the Moshofsky Sports Center and the Education Building second-floor remodel. Currently, EWEB is working with the university on the new William W. Knight Law Center and the Recreation and Fitness Center.

Matsen says that EWEB has helped to fund anywhere from 15 to 70 percent of campus energy conservation projects.

"We are committed to continuing our relationship with the university by helping to identify new conservation projects," John Mitchell, EWEB, says. "We believe in looking at ways to conserve energy first, before we pursue other energy sources. The success of these university projects underscores the wisdom of this philosophy."

-- LEIGH FREEMAN, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

A 98-cent donation from a University of Oregon student was the smallest. A $25 million gift from a graduate was the largest. UO faculty and staff donated more than $8 million.

They were among 233,442 individual gifts that poured into the University of Oregon during its six-year Oregon Campaign, the largest and most successful fund-raising effort in the history of the state. The campaign raised more than one-quarter billion dollars for people, programs and facilities at the UO.

The final Oregon Campaign total of $255.3 million was announced Feb. 2 at a campus news conference. The final tally far exceeds the campaign's original goal of $150 million.

The money raised is already funding new student scholarships, new faculty support, new classrooms and the development of new ways of learning, says President Dave Frohnmayer.

"These gifts from hundreds of thousands of supporters, together with adequate state support, provides the university with a margin of excellence," he says. "It also shows how generous we can be in this state. Our success raises the bar for every fund-raiser in Oregon."

Vice President Duncan McDonald, Public Affairs and Development, agrees.

"We are not planning to rest on our laurels," he says. "This campaign has concluded, but the University of Oregon will continue to raise funds to ensure an excellent higher education for the people of our state."

The first, silent phase of The Oregon Campaign was launched in 1992. The final gifts for the campaign were accepted on Dec. 31, 1998.

While tens of thousands of individual gifts were less than $100 each, the campaign accepted 43 gifts worth more than $1 million each. Alumni donated more than half of the final dollar total.

The results will be felt across campus. The market value of all student scholarship and fellowship support more than doubled during the six years of the campaign (from $13.9 million to $30.7 million). The number of UO endowed chairs and professorships more than tripled (from 20 to 75).

In addition, campaign gifts provided an opportunity to update courses and develop important fields of study, enabling the UO to start new programs in Judaic studies, sports marketing, environmental studies and Japanese teacher education.

Campaign gifts also made it possible to construct the new William W. Knight Law Center, the new Ed Moshofsky Sports Center and the new Vivian Olum Child Development Center, as well as to renovate Grayson Hall for arts and sciences classrooms and journalism's home in Allen Hall.

Because hunger knows no season, Legislative Relations is spearheading the Governor's State Employees Food Drive on campus, underway now through Feb. 26.

Organizers have set a 100,000-pound food goal for the UO. The statewide goal is 2 million pounds for the annual event, now in its 18th year. All food collected here will remain in Lane County and will be distributed through Food For Lane County.

Cash donations are also accepted, with each dollar purchasing six pounds of food.

"This is a great way to give back to the local community," President David Frohnmayer says. "University employees have big hearts and are always willing to lend a hand when needed."

Canned meats, stews and fruit, peanut butter, powdered milk and dried pasta are all nutritional foods that are acceptable for the drive. Glass containers, rusty cans, perishables, homemade items and alcoholic beverages can't be accepted.

Donation bins and cash boxes are on campus at: