EMU Impact Report 2026
Dear greater EMU community,
As we look back on the 2025–2026 school year, the EMU Board is proud to showcase the work and collaboration that shaped the 75th year of the EMU. The EMU remains more than a central location on campus. It’s also a gathering place for student life, support services, campus engagement, and community connection.
Throughout the year, the EMU Board stayed committed to representing students and their interests by including their experiences into conversations that affect their experiences in the EMU. This work was made possible through the efforts of both the House Committee and the Outreach and Communications Committee. By collaborating with campus organizations, students, and university leaders, we worked to better the EMU as a welcoming and inclusive space as it celebrated its 75th anniversary.
This year brought both opportunities and challenges throughout campus. In response to this, the House Committee focused on maintaining spaces in the EMU that supported students’ involvement, wellness, accessibility, and engagement. The house committee also advocated for improvements to students’ experience, which was highlighted by the space allocation of more than seven new student organizations throughout the year.
In its first full year, the Outreach and Communications Committee gathered student feedback and gained more student perspectives on the EMU as a whole. A key accomplishment was the launch of the “How can the EMU better serve you?” survey, which received more than 130 student responses. The committee also was responsible for the board’s end-of-year report and was responsible for promotional work for the EMU Board at-large positions.
As we look ahead, the EMU Board will continue working to remain transparent, collaborative, and continuously working to improve the greater UO community’s experiences in the EMU. We recognize that continuing to support student life requires listening and reflecting on perspectives and we look forward to building on this year’s progress.
Thank you to every student, staff member, community member, and campus partner who contributed to the success of this year. Your involvement and support continue to make the EMU a place of community, opportunity, and engagement.
We look forward to another year of growth and engagement together.
With appreciation,
The EMU Board
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Administration and HR by the Numbers
- 17 temporary and staff hires
- 104 student employee hires
- 68 graduation cords distributed
- 13 staff awards presented
Administration and HR
The EMU Administration/HR office engages in and encourages EMU units to participate in Oregon Rising goals with hiring practices for staff and student employees focused on creating a welcoming and resource-rich atmosphere for future success. EMU Administration/HR supports the programs, services, and committees that support flourishing of students, staff, and student employees, while recognizing staff and student employee success.
Center for Student Involvement
The Center for Student Involvement continues to support career preparation and flourishing through many activities and services. We focus on student experience through free, fun, safe events led by students and pro staff. We support career readiness through intentional student staff trainings and support of student organizations.
Student well-being, career preparation, and flourishing are central to CSI’s mission. The program identifies and supports at-risk students through referrals, safe spaces, and partnerships with campus support services, while also emphasizing career readiness through mentoring, guest speakers, and multiple class partnerships each year. All CSI activities are designed to strengthen student belonging and flourishing, with professional staff contributing broadly through participation on eleven committees.
CSI by the Numbers
- 232 Flock Party tables
- 72 collaborations
- 65 new student organization applications
- 39 IntroDUCKtion sessions
- 386 Supply Nest requests
- 145 events
- 25 percent of student population reached
Communications and Outreach by the Numbers
- Number of posts published increased 86.5 percent over previous year
- Reach increased 117 percent
- Most popular posts are Throwback Thursdays
Communications and Outreach
The communication team helps to build the welcoming environment where students and the UO community flourish. They accomplish this through supporting EMU events, creating engaging social posts that highlight all that is in the EMU, providing an avenue to student organizations to promote their events, enhancing the physical spaces in the EMU, and promoting student employment.
Craft Center
The Craft Center provides student-driven offerings, creating opportunities for students to have vast experiences during their four years of campus life.
The Craft Center creates connections and involvement. Integration of arts and the creative process is a key component to critical thinking, experiential learning and career readiness. We create inclusive spaces and workshops for students to find a sense of community. We work hard to support students’ needs and interests and to ensure that all voices are represented and can thrive during their academic career.
Craft Center by the Numbers
- 10,906 Fusion System swipes—card swipes at the front desk/checking in at the Craft Center
- 1,433 participants in Craft Center programming
- 816 workshop participants
Custodial by the Numbers
- Eleven custodians working seven days a week, day and night
- Staff years of service: 6 months to 15 years
Custodial
Our job as custodians is to create a safe space for our staff and building users. Over a million people walk through the EMU doors every year. During our interactions, as custodians, we interact in a way that shows curiosity, inclusivity, and connection.
The EMU Custodial team continues to advance the Oregon Rising mission by supporting students, staff, faculty, and the public by providing a continuously cleaned building; no space is left untouched. Custodians also interact with daily building users, whether it is a smile, encouragement, or the fact that all 23 bathrooms are always stocked.
Esports
The Esports Program focuses on three pillars: competition, community, and career. Over the 2025–2026 academic year the Esports Program continued building an inclusive and welcoming space for casual and competitive gamers. Our student employees handled administration of the Esports Lounge admirably, while orchestrating several successful events to broaden the program’s impact on campus and beyond.
Esports by the Numbers
- Esports Program social media accounts recorded millions of impressions across all platforms
- Fostered partnerships with Sony, Xfinity, and Red Bull
Event Services by the Numbers
- Supports more than 17,000 meeting/event bookings per year including:
- Major campus events (such as IntroDUCKtion, Homecoming, and Commencement)
- Critical administrative functions
Event Services
Event Services supports campus events which provide opportunities, increase access to services, provide career readiness training, and offer access to co-curricular education. Having a diverse offering of events is crucial to foster community, belonging, and inclusion, and contributes to campus engagement and student retention.
Facilities
EMU Facilities supports the maintenance and project supervision necessary to maintain the EMU as a clean, safe facility capable of meeting the needs of students and users. Maintaining the structural, infrastructure integrity, and sustainability efforts of the EMU is a primary goal of the Facilities Department.
During FY 2025–2026, the EMU Facilities team supported Oregon Rising through responsible stewardship of university resources, reducing utility costs, and advancing sustainability initiatives, while maintaining a safe, welcoming and reliable environment that supports student success and campus engagement.
Facilities by the Numbers
- EMU Facilities maintains more than 230,000 square feet of EMU-controlled buildings.
- During FY 2025–2026, actual utility expenses came in 12 percent below the annual forecasted budget, demonstrating effective energy management
Guest Services by the Numbers
- 4,882 key checkouts
- 617 lost and found items returned
- 150 origami kits distributed for Kids on Campus Day, spring 2026
Guest Services
Guest Services is located at the O Desk on the ground floor of the EMU and acts as a central hub for information both about the EMU building and university campus. Guest Services staff are responsible for checking out keys to the student organization offices in the building, keeping track of lost and found items, checking out the equipment for the pool table in the building, and performing hourly building walks to ensure that there are no safety issues.
Guest Services builds career readiness skills in customer service, security, confidentiality, and community support while managing key access and lost items.
ID Card Services
Through producing and supporting the Flock Card—UO students’ official university ID—ID Card Services opens doors to student success! With the Flock Card students have access to their on-campus homes, university programs and services, meals, and more. The declining balance account on the card provides an opportunity to improve students’ financial literacy through management of the funds loaded on their ID. Through employment in the ID Card Services office, students learn vital job skills that increase their career readiness.
ID Card Services advances Oregon Rising by creating a flourishing community through equitable access to campus resources and services. By supporting students from orientation through graduation and partnering across campus to remove access barriers, we help students connect, engage, and succeed.
ID Card Services by the Numbers
- 5,739 Flock Cards produced for IntroDUCKtion
- 59 percent of students uploaded photos before IntroDUCKtion
- Photo uploads reviewed: 8,164 approved; 2,189 denied
KWVA by the Numbers
- More than 60 sports volunteers
- 403 live games produced
- 40 sports travel experiences
- More than 15,000 miles traveled for UO football coverage
KWVA 88.1FM
After more than 30 years of serving Eugene–Springfield, KWVA’s operations strongly reflect and support the Oregon Rising strategies. It equips students with practical skills, strengthens inclusive and engaged community, and fosters equity, collaboration, and cross disciplinary media work.
KWVA gives students hands-on experience in broadcasting, leadership, and media while connecting the UO with listeners in Eugene, Oakridge, and beyond. A 2025–26 highlight was KWVA-produced sports coverage.
Mills International Center
The Mills International Center fosters student thriving and persistence for US and international students by cultivating belonging, cross-cultural learning, and meaningful connections. Through Learning Cafés and Language Circles, students develop intercultural communication and collaboration skills for success in a diverse workforce.
Mills International Center by the Numbers
- 13,903 total visits; 82 percent are repeat visitors
- 117 events hosted with more than 3,200 attendees
- Weekly Language Circles offered for 13 different languages.
“I am learning how cultural norms inform communication styles. I find this useful for communicating with the broader spectrum of my community.”
— Learning Café participant
Moss Street Children’s Center by the Numbers
- Serves 74 children
- Supports 52 UO families
- Employs 50 educators
- Mentors 30 students
- Strengthens campus belonging
Moss Street Children’s Center
Moss Street Children’s Center supports Oregon Rising by helping UO families thrive through accessible childcare, inclusive learning, student success, belonging, and community connection.
The center provides work experience, mentorship, and training for more than 40 student employees, interns, practicum students, and volunteers each year, preparing them for careers with children and families.
Retail Services
Through tenant relationships and leases, EMU Retail Services provides vital services to students that reduce barriers and meet basic needs such as legal services, technical support, computer access, financial well-being, and banking services, as well as healthy and familiar food options.
Retail Services by the Numbers
- The EMU is home to 44 vendors, tenants, programs, and services that provide engaging and inclusive programming and vital services to students.
- Ducks Feeding Ducks provided 5,456 meals to students.
- Duck Bucks spent in EMU FY26: $955,655
Scheduling by the Numbers
- Processed more than 5,000 requests
- Booked 8,474 spaces for 285 student organizations
- Booked 8,888 spaces for 202 UO departments and campus partners
- 718,693 event attendees
Scheduling
Scheduling provides an enhanced sense of community and social wellness at the UO through finding space for a variety of on-campus events, including orientation programs, lectures, fairs, workshops, and performances.
These events and their outcomes contribute to student mental health and sense of belonging, key factors in college completion outcomes.
Student Sustainability Center
Through hands-on programs, student employment, community partnerships, and volunteer leadership, students transformed their social and environmental values into experiential learning, measurable impact, and the skills that prepare students for life beyond graduation.
Student Sustainability Center by the Numbers
- 5,755 individuals served at Produce Drop
- More than 3,000 volunteer hours for Grove Garden and Habitat Restoration
- More than 300 graduation gowns loaned out, saving students more than $20,000
“It allowed me to actually walk for graduation. I would have just not chosen to do it otherwise. Thank you.”
— Willow C., Grad Gown-Share participant
“I was able to attend and enjoy graduation with my friends, family, and peers without worrying about the cost of a cap and gown.”
— Skyler P., Grad Gown-Share participant
Technology and Innovation by the Numbers
- New AV systems for nine meeting rooms
- Installed 4K projection capability in Redwood Auditorium (photo above)
- Modified 1,905 door access keypad accounts
- Modified 590 Keywatcher accounts
Technology and Innovation
Technology and Innovation maintains and improves EMU technological systems that support connection, engagement, and participation in campus life through infrastructure support, access management, AV upgrades, and responsible system stewardship.
Ticket Office
As a central hub for the UO and community members, the Ticket Office helps inform and give assistance to engagement with local arts, cultural events, and travel opportunities. We expand access to global learning opportunities through passport services, and support campus engagement with ticketing/cashiering services.
We help students foster new experiences, connections, and inspiration they can take with them post-graduation as they become involved with their surrounding communities and opportunities in arts and culture.
As an office that employs students, we provide staff with advanced skills and a sense of belonging and purpose, as they learn through individual and shared experiences in the workplace.
Ticket Office by the Numbers
- More than 3,000 passport applications received
- Ticketed 183 events
- Distributed more than 4,000 student discounted tickets
“Wonderful experience getting tickets for Friday’s theatre performance. So professional and kind. Thanks!”
— Google reviewer
“Took my filled out passport papers in. They took photo, combined and stapled everything, and all I had to do was drop it in the mail. Super easy!”
— Google reviewer