Both the University of Oregon and Oregon State University are capable of fulfilling Central Oregon’s higher education needs, a group of Bend-area business and education leaders decided Wednesday.
During the final meeting of the Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board, members decided to pass the final decision regarding which institution could open a Bend-branch campus to the State Board of Higher Education without any strong recommendation for either school.
Although the final decision has always been in the hands of the state board, the advisory board’s feedback and recommendations have played an instrumental role in the process of bringing a four-year university to the Bend area. In its final meeting, advisory board members decided the only recommendation they would give Joseph Cox, Oregon University System chancellor, was that both OSU and the University of Oregon offered what Bend residents needed.
The State Board of Education will make its decision during its meeting Feb. 16.
“I think we’re really moving on,” said Patricia Moss, a Bend bank executive and advisory board member. “The choice really belongs to the state board.”
She said the Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board meeting brought closure to the issue. “We’ve done what we were asked to do,” she said.
Bob Barber, president of Central Oregon Community College, is also a member of the advisory board and said the next step will be planning the structural changes on the COCC campus to be ready for whatever university is selected to open a branch campus. If all goes as planned, Barber said, the branch campus will be ready in September.
“We’re just working on implementation,” he said.
Barber said he was pleased with the role Central Oregon was able to play in the process and said it is now up to the OUS to determine how the new campus will affect the rest of the state.
Stephen Pyke, a computer firm executive and regional advisory board member, said he was satisfied with how the process went and looked forward to the state board’s decision.
“I think whatever way they choose will be good for Central Oregon,” he said.
Though the Bend community has seen some bickering between Ducks and Beavers over the issue, Pyke said there was none of that during the meeting.
“None of the [Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board] members took the opportunity to voice an opinion one way or another,” he said.
Pyke said it was also gratifying to see both John Moseley, University of Oregon provost, and OSU Provost Tim White offer each other an “olive branch” by committing to work together.
Moseley acknowledged that he offered to collaborate with OSU but downplayed the significance of the offer.
“I think that’s not really anything new,” he said.
Even though advisory board members did not explicitly support the University’s proposal, Moseley said that in itself, it was almost a success because people in Bend didn’t warm to the University proposal from the start.
“The … board early on didn’t really see the UO as being a serious and committed player in this,” he said.
With the final decision about two weeks away, Moseley still feels good about the University’s chances.
“I remain just as optimistic as I have been about it,” he said.
Jerry Colonna, Redmond Public School District superintendent and advisory board member, said all board members were happy to keep the momentum going for the branch campus. He said while there may be a few more hurdles in the state legislature as it wrangles over budget issues, most people in Bend are confidently awaiting their new campus.
“This may be the most important event for Bend,” he said. “It absolutely changes the fundamental fabric of the community.”