Coffee hour with the Rays provides chance to mingle
Holiday-themed event in the MU Lounge allowed students to casually meet with the Rays
Kate Welter
Issue date: 12/4/09 Section: News
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The Daily Barometer
OSU students, faculty and staff were welcomed to join President and Mrs. Ed Ray between 8:30 and 10 a.m. on Thursday in the MU Lounge to celebrate the upcoming holiday season.
The purpose of the event was to give students and staff a break from dead week and finals week preparation, as well as to provide a chance to meet and greet the Rays before the term ended. An e-mail was sent on the All Students listserv to notify the student population of the event.
"This is our one major event of the year that gives us a chance to meet and mingle with faculty and students in such a casual setting," said Beth Ray, the president's wife. "We thought it would be a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays, not to mention a great opportunity to strengthen the communication lines between [President Ray and me] and OSU employees and students. That was the whole idea behind holding this event."
President Ray especially appreciates planning an open and informal event such as this because it gives everyone involved with the OSU community a chance to connect with one another.
"It gives me, as well as everyone else, the opportunity to be available to interact and touch base with each other," President Ray said. "I have had people come up to me saying, 'It's great to finally meet you,' which, without an event such as this, would be much more difficult to have happen."
Ray also commented that several attendees had voiced their concerns about the current financial situation that OSU is facing.
"We are in a tough financial situation with the state and people have had questions and concerns that they have wanted to voice to me," Ray said. "Some of these have been advice on how to better communicate and to clarify rumors before they get out of hand."
OSU Catering provided gourmet coffee, apple cider and hot chocolate to drink and a variety of biscotti, donut holes, fruit and other holiday-themed desserts to snack on. Beth Rietveld, the director of the Women's Center, was entertaining those in attendance by playing numerous Christmas carols on the piano.
To add to the holiday cheer of the get-together was also a newly placed Christmas tree, furnished with lights and paper snowflakes by the Memorial Union Program Council.
Members from Linn-Benton County Food Share were also encouraging those attending to donate canned food to benefit families in need prior to entering the lounge.
Students comprised a large portion of the crowd, stopping by before and between their classes.
"I came to represent my organization and show my student involvement," said Alex Bowman, a junior majoring in chemical engineering and an MUPC director.
"Plus, I thought that this was a great way to mingle and speak to other students and faculty, especially right before the end of the term. And the free food was also a nice perk between heading to my classes."
President Ray and his wife also stated that they would be adorned in black and orange and rooting for the Beavers at the highly anticipated Civil War game down in Eugene at Autzen Stadium Thursday evening, following the coffee hour.
Kate Welter, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
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