March 1, 2001
The top priority for the University of Oregon during the 2001 session of the Oregon Legislature is to restore the $96 million cut from the current service level budget request of the Oregon University System (OUS) in the budget recommended by Gov. John Kitzhaber.
Toward that goal, the Oregon Student Association, faculty, staff, alumni, business leaders and citizens plan a rally at the Capitol at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 6. Free bus service from campus and a free lunch will be provided to employees, who must use leave and ask supervisors for release time to take part. Buses will leave at 8:30 a.m. from East 13th and University and will return by 2 p.m.
For rally information, call 6-5656.
"The 1999 Legislature realized the importance of higher education to Oregon's future well-being and increased our funding," says Associate Vice President Michael Redding, Governmental Affairs. "After a decade of disinvestment, we appreciated that, but now we must let our legislators know that they have constituent support for their efforts to adequately fund higher education."
In an era of limited revenues and a slowing economy, the governor proposed "a very tight budget [that] reflects the need to cover unanticipated revenue losses from lawsuits, a reduction in federal matching dollars, a 60 percent increase in prescription drug costs, and the $159 million income tax cut adopted by voters in Measure 88," Kitzhaber said on releasing his budget Dec. 1. Projected state revenues for the next biennium are $700 million-$800 million less than the amount required to meet the 2001-2003 current service level requirements of all state agencies.
"The governor's budget presents a number of challenges, particularly the cut in higher education," says Tim Black, advocacy director in Governmental Relations. "On the other hand, the legislative leadership is supportive of improved funding for higher education, but they need to 'see' widespread public support, too. That's why attending the March 6 rally is so important."
According to Black, the governor's budget has the following implications for OUS:
"Our message to legislators is that we're looking for continued momentum in state support for higher education to stop the disinvestment of the last decade and to ensure quality education for future generations," Black says. "Our top priorities are to fund the current service level and to fully fund the new enrollment-based Resource Allocation Model."
To partially compensate for the expected revenue shortfall, OUS proposed a 5 percent tuition increase over the biennium but the governor suggested 8 percent. This makes maintaining access to higher education for the state's citizens another pivotal factor.
"If Oregon is going to retain its best and brightest, be economically competitive and provide living wages for its citizens, then access to higher education is critical," he says. "We do not want a budget that requires students to pay more and receive less."
According to Black, evidence of legislative support for higher education came Jan. 31 when Ways and Means Committee co-chairs Sen. Lenn Hannon and Rep. Ben Westlund released their budget proposal as a response to the governor's proposed spending plan.
"The co-chairs' budget adds $29.3 million back to the OUS budget--$10 million directed to the statewide public services at Oregon State University and $19.3 million directed to support elements of the OUS budget," he says. "No details accompanied the co-chairs' budget outline, however, and it remains to be seen how the Education Subcommittee of the Ways and Means will treat the additional resources."
The Ways and Means Committee will begin higher education budget discussions March 19.
The co-chairs said they hoped to make further improvements in the OUS spending plan and other budgets. While they couldn't identify the sources of more add-backs, they hoped to assist by identifying further savings and efficiencies.
For information and an advocacy guide, visit darkwing.uoregon.edu/~oga/ or call 6-5020.
The State Board of Higher Education's Feb. 16 vote to have Oregon State University manage the Central Oregon branch campus also directed other campuses, including the University of Oregon, to offer their own degrees and programs in Bend.
By a vote of 10 to 1, the board mandated that the chancellor of the Oregon University System and the presidents of UO and OSU "forge a statement of collaboration" to "maximize the value of higher education services in Central Oregon as part of the implementation plan."
President Dave Frohnmayer said UO administrators are pleased that Central Oregon is moving closer to its dream of a branch campus with four-year degree programs.
"That is good news for them and for our state system," he said. "At the same time, the state board clearly stated its intention that the University of Oregon must continue its arts and sciences degree programs in Central Oregon. By insisting on collaboration among all system universities, the state board has ensured even greater success for the Central Oregon program. We look forward to a vigorous and growing presence in the region."
The collaborative plan will enable students currently enrolled to complete programs and earn their degrees from the campus at which they are enrolled. It also will allow the new branch to capitalize upon the respective academic strengths of all OUS campuses.
The direction to embrace offerings from all OUS campuses came following more than three hours of discussion during which board members contrasted proposals submitted earlier by OSU and the University of Oregon.
Higher education officials are expected to meet soon with officials at Central Oregon Community College to begin transition planning for the new branch while they await final legislative support. OUS officials have asked the Legislature to appropriate $7.2 million to implement the transition and establish the branch. The funding request is pending as lawmakers weigh higher education appropriations as part of the state's 2001-2003 biennial budget.
Pending legislative funding, the new branch campus will begin operation in the fall. It will be housed in a separate building on the COCC campus, replacing the OUS Central Oregon University Center that has brokered upper-division courses and programs for the region.
WEEK OF WELCOME PROGRAM PROPOSALS are due by 5 p.m. March 16. Faculty members, departments and student groups are invited to propose innovative academic, educational or social programs that enhance the new student experience during Week of Welcome, set Sept. 19-23. Send proposal forms, available at darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uointro/, to Student Orientation Programs, 372 Oregon. For information, call JoAnn Gray, 6-1167.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MERIT AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 16. The awards, presented in May by International Education and Exchange and the Friendship Foundation for International Students, recognize international students for their campus and community involvement, leadership skills and academic success. Send nominations to melaniew@darkwing. For information, call Melanie Williams, 6-3206.
In the spotlight
Associate Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones, Student Life; James Florendo, Multicultural Affairs; and current and recent members of the University Library Diversity Committee--Chair Diane Sotak, Leslie Bennett, Charlotte Conlin, Michiyo Goble, Mary Grenci, Joni Herbst, David Landazuri, Linda Long, Bruce Tabb, Rose Thomas, Carrie Yates and Laine Stambaugh (ex officio)--were honored Jan. 25 at an awards buffet as recipients of this year's Martin Luther King Award. This UO award is given each year to people who have shown dedication and made significant contributions to racial understanding.
Assistant Vice Provost Paula Burkhart, Research and Faculty Development, was elected a director of the National Council of University Research Administrators for 2001-2003.
In memoriam
Judy Robertson Finch, Germanic Languages and Literatures clerical assistant, died Feb. 20 in Eugene of cancer. A graduate of Portland State University, Finch, 55, had worked in the department for 15 years. Memorial contributions may be made to the Judy Finch Memorial Fund at Umpqua Bank.