New to campus and/or the postdoc experience? Check out our helpful hints on everything from where to get your ID to the best place to get a beer the third Wednesday of every month. 

University of Oregon resources:

Oregon Research: General website for research at the University of Oregon

You may want to set up a page highlighting your research. A helpful IT person has created instructions on how to create a UO website once you have a Duck ID.

Transportation:

Biking is a great way to get to campus. Talk to your administration office or building manager to get free access to the locked bike cage if your building has one. Need a bike? St. Vincent De Paul and Goodwill have decent used bikes if you have the time too look for one, or get a new one at one of the many bike shops around town, or you can rent one from the UO.

Busing is another way to get around town.

Driving to work: There are several options for parking on or near campus. You can purchase a single day, week, month, term, or yearly parking permit from the Department of Parking and Transportation.

Daycare:

Finding daycare in a city can be tricky. Eugene is relatively big, so you may want to wait until you know where you’re living before you start looking for a daycare provider. Here are a few resources our postdocs have found useful:

Lane County will provide a list of at home day care providers if you give them some indication of what you are looking for. Just download the “Parent Referral Intake” and email the filled form to the email provided on the form.

Daycare centers close to campus include:

Vivian Olum Child Development Center (AKA Olum)

EWEB Child Development Center

Moss Street Children’s Center (mainly for students)

Retirement Benefits:

Postdocs are encouraged to participate in the optional retirement plan that vests immediately at 4%. Previously, the University (i.e. your mentor’s grants) would match your retirement contributions in the mandatory PERS system up to 6%, but this wouldn’t vest for 5 years. Since most postdocs do not reach 5 years (by getting a fellowship or moving on to another job), most of that money stayed in PERS and never went to the postdoc. With the passage of SB214 on July 12, 2017, we now have a reasonable retirement option that does not waste our grant money. The UOPA would like to thank the Vice President’s office, Oregon Public Universities, and United Academics for helping to pass this legislation!