Memo
To: Interinstitutional Faculty Senate Members
From: Scott Burns, IFS member from PSU
Date: March 26, 2004
About: Summary of Access/Affordability Working Group, OUS Board
Meeting, Portland, March 17, 2004
About 15 people were at the meeting at PSU on March 17, 2004. The working group is chaired well by Tom Nesbitt from the board. Nancy Goldschmidt is the OUS staff member who is doing a great job of translating ideas onto paper. Most of the meeting revolved around two topics: policy goals of the committee and yardsticks for measuring success.
Policy Goals: Most of this session worked on changing the wording on ideas from last meeting. They are summarized below:
a) Goals and objectives: expand access to postsecondary education in Oregon and make it more affordable; increase the number of graduates; make sure the education supports Oregon’s economy and produces good jobs
b) Action items: increase need-based financial aid for students; create an endowment (constitutional amendment) to support student aid
c) Policy: funds will be used at all universities, colleges and community colleges in Oregon (private and public); look at various options
d) Intentions: do not use existing General Fund money for this purpose.
e) Other comments summarized by Scott: The focus is on individual opportunity and also Oregon economy (attracting and retaining businesses). There is a connection to the broader economic strategies of the state. Problem – we run out of money each year for the Oregon Opportunity Grants (OOG) – it is first come, first served until it runs out. These are small percentage loans to needy students – only small percentage of need is covered. The focus of the discussion was on OOG’s – main way to carry out the mission. A list of 25 parameters of who gets the OOG’s was reviewed and will be reviewed in the future meetings. One topic related to who gets an OOG is income eligibility level (<$50,000/year income or total assets?). Problem – tuitions have gone up but the Pell Grants and the OOG’s have not increased.
Yardsticks: A list is being put together to evaluate how we are doing as a state. Included measurements are average debt load of graduating students, percentage of students getting Pell and OOG’s who qualify (we have gotten an “F” as a state in this category in recent years), and comparisons to rest of US.
Future Actions: The committee put together a list of stakeholders here (from business to faculty to students). Who is opposing this – k-12 advocates. Important focus of next meetings – program design (by early May), how will it be funded (by fall).
Future Meetings:
a) April 2, 2004: 1:30-3:30 OHSU
b) April 13, 2004 9-12 AM Salem
c) April 30, 2004 9-12 AM Portland
d) May 6, 2004 1:30-3:30 LaGrande