UO Men's Center

Our Mission is to promote the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of men, and attitudes and behaviors that will benefit everyone.Contributing to the Universities Academic Mission. The Men's Center is a student supported center dedicated to help college men from diverse backgrounds lead healthy lives. The Center was developed in 2002 with support from the Office of Student Life, University Counseling and Testing Center, Student Health Center and Physical and Recreational Services. The Center was the first organization of its kind on a major college campus. The development of the Center occurred in response to concerns raised by UO staff, faculty and students about men on campus. Davies and colleagues (2000) were aware that nationally, college-aged men were having serious problems: committing over 70% of the major conduct violations, engaging in sexism, sexual assault, and other bias incidences. Additionally, men are responsible for the overwhelming majority of shootings that have occurred on college and high school campuses nationwide, and they commit six of the seven suicides that occur in the college age range. Davies and colleagues (2000) conducted a study of UO men and confirmed that many UO college men were having significant difficulties with drug and alcohol abuse, engaging in unnecessary risk behavior, and committing conduct violations. Participants suggested that the university develop a men's center on the UO campus to legitimize men's health needs and increase awareness of men's issues on campus. UO staff, faculty and students recognized that UO men were in crisis and wanted to take action. These pioneers decided to open the UOMC, the first center of its kind in the USA.