On April 11, Ducks descended on Salem for UO Day at the Capitol. This year’s biennial event included a display in the Galleria, musical performances in the House and Senate chambers, and visits to legislators by UO advocates and students.

The Galleria display highlighted the UO’s service to Oregon and included displays from the UO Alumni Asosciation, UO Portland, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, the Office of Research, Innovation & Graduate Education (RIGE), the Solar Energy Center, the Center for Sustainable Material Chemistry, CAMCOR, The Community Service Center, the Oregon Bach Festival, PathwayOregon, Residence Life, the Institute for a Sustainable Environment, and the Sustainable Cities Initiative. The Emerald Photo booth was also set up in the Galleria for legislators, staff, and other capitol visitors to take pictures with the Oregon Duck.

Oregon music groups kicked off the floors sessions of both the Oregon House and Oregon Senate. The UO Gospel Choir opened up the Senate Session, and the Oregon Brass Quintet played the Gavottes from Bach’s Orchestral suite No. 3 to open the House session. The performance of the brass quintet in the House Chamber coincided with the consideration by the House of resolutions honoring the Oregon Bach Festival Helmuth Rilling and Royce Saltzman introduced by State Representative Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene).

Representatives of the UO Alumni Association, UO Foundation, and the Associated Students of the University of Oregon visited legislators to thank them for their work on UO priorities, including university governance and tuition equity. UO Day also coincided with the announcement that the 2016 USA Track and Field Olympic Trials will again take place in Eugene Oregon at Historic Hayward Field. President Gottfredson, Governor Kitzhaber and legislative leadership participated in the press conference held at the Capitol.