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Higher education gets higher priority
The legislature awarded $868 million to Oregon's university system, a budget 18 percent higher than Kulongoski's original proposal
by Mike O'Brien |
In recent years, Oregon, traditionally a high-tuition, low-loan state, has had among the nation's lowest funding for higher education. Every year since 1991, the state has seen a continual disinvestment in funds - until now.
At this week's legislative session, higher education was named a higher priority than in recent years, thanks in large part to the work of students across the state and organizations such as the Oregon Student Association, a student lobbying group present on nine of the state's college campuses.
In a survey last June, students gauged where all of the state's legislative candidates stood. Dissatisfied with higher education's low priority, OSA took action in the fall with the Student Vote Coalition. Intending to have as many student voters as possible, OSA helped register more than 22,000 students statewide. Voter turnout among Oregon students was at its all-time highest during a non-presidential year.
"Students continued to rally and have a high presence in Salem," said OSA Communications Director Courtney Sproule.
After talking with a lobbyist, students spent the winter orchestrating several events. The prescription campaign asked Gov. Kulongoski to "doctor" students' "ailments" with giant prescription cards. Students Love Tuition Equity, a Valentine's Day-themed campaign, called for all qualified Oregon high school students to be granted in-state tuition regardless of documentation status. Another was the recipe campaign, in which students filled out thousands of recipe cards with the necessary ingredients for a stronger Oregon.
In March, however, the Ways & Means Committee announced its budget, which slashed the initial funding recommended by Kulongoski by $15.4 million.
"The Ways & Means Committee has a bunch of subcommittees," explained ASUO President Emily McLain, former State Affairs Coordinator for the ASUO. "We did most of our lobbying to the subcommittee on education, which gives its recommendations to the co-chairs, who ultimately come up with the final budget, which is voted on, agreed with, or disagreed with."
At this week's legislative session, higher education was named a higher priority than in recent years, thanks in large part to the work of students across the state and organizations such as the Oregon Student Association, a student lobbying group present on nine of the state's college campuses.
In a survey last June, students gauged where all of the state's legislative candidates stood. Dissatisfied with higher education's low priority, OSA took action in the fall with the Student Vote Coalition. Intending to have as many student voters as possible, OSA helped register more than 22,000 students statewide. Voter turnout among Oregon students was at its all-time highest during a non-presidential year.
"Students continued to rally and have a high presence in Salem," said OSA Communications Director Courtney Sproule.
After talking with a lobbyist, students spent the winter orchestrating several events. The prescription campaign asked Gov. Kulongoski to "doctor" students' "ailments" with giant prescription cards. Students Love Tuition Equity, a Valentine's Day-themed campaign, called for all qualified Oregon high school students to be granted in-state tuition regardless of documentation status. Another was the recipe campaign, in which students filled out thousands of recipe cards with the necessary ingredients for a stronger Oregon.
In March, however, the Ways & Means Committee announced its budget, which slashed the initial funding recommended by Kulongoski by $15.4 million.
"The Ways & Means Committee has a bunch of subcommittees," explained ASUO President Emily McLain, former State Affairs Coordinator for the ASUO. "We did most of our lobbying to the subcommittee on education, which gives its recommendations to the co-chairs, who ultimately come up with the final budget, which is voted on, agreed with, or disagreed with."
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