SALEM — Yellow and green descended upon the state Capitol Wednesday for the biennial “UO day at the Capitol,” a lobby event presented by the University to promote its legislative agenda.
University representatives set up displays touting proposed capital projects, specifically the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute building project and College of Education expansion. Administrators, including University President Dave Frohnmayer, and University supporters spent the afternoon visiting individual legislators in their offices to discuss higher education and funding issues. The Duck mascot made an appearance for photos and entertainment at a reception later in the evening.
University representatives said it’s in the institution’s best interests to keep its priorities in the forefront of legislators’ minds.
“This is one of those cases where if you’re out of sight you may be out of mind,” Frohnmayer said. “Legislators have so many competing priorities…that you have to be engaged in a continual effort to remind people about this priority.”
According to pamphlets distributed at the event, the University is supporting Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s proposed budget, which provides a small increase for higher education. The University is also supporting the Oregon University System Legal Services and Legal Sufficiency bill, which would allow the State Board of Higher Education, OUS Chancellor and university presidents to hire attorneys outside the Department
of Justice.
“The overall level of the budget support for the University’s general operations is almost always the key,” Frohnmayer said, adding that state support of capital construction proposals is also important.
“It won’t solve (the University’s problems),” Frohnmayer said of the governor’s budget. “But, it’s more than a hold- the-line budget. It would represent a net increase in our ability to cope, but obviously we hope in some things…that we can do modestly better than the governor’s budget.”
It’s tough to tell whether the University will have enough support in the legislature before the votes are counted, Frohnmayer said. “It’s not that we don’t have support, it’s a question of whether competing priorities will be seen as stronger.”
William Swindells represented the University Foundation in the lobbying efforts.
It’s important to have people other than University administrator speak to legislators, Swindells said.
“The value is not to say something smarter or better than the administration, it’s to have an elected official hear it from a non-administration person,” he said.
Representatives from the College of Education and ONAMI attended, hoping to improve their chances of receiving state funding.
“We’re here to tell the story of our need for the building and the national impact of the work of our faculty,” College of Education Communications Director Linda Mears said.
Mears added that the education program is at the maximum in terms of who it can serve and desperately needs the $48 million addition.
If the governor’s budget proposal is passed, the College of Education will need to raise only $24 million in private donations to fund the project. The rest would be funded with
state bonds.
ONAMI hopes to receive the $7 million allocated to it in the governor’s proposal.
Sen. Vicki Walker, D-Eugene, a 1978 University graduate who attended the reception, said she felt the event was beneficial.
“It’s a good reminder of the value of the University of Oregon and what it contributes to our community and our state,” Walker said. “There’s a lot of U of O grads in this building, and on Beaver day you’ll see a lot of OUS grads here as well, it’s all great fun. I think it’s really important to see (this event).”
Education has been a theme in much of the statehouse’s recent politics. Earlier this week, Rep. Bob Ackerman, D-Eugene, pitched a bill that would freeze much of the income that state colleges receive at current levels, much to the alarm of some OUS and Community College officials. On Wednesday, House Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, announced the House Republicans’ “Stable Schools” plan to fund K-12 public school. The House Democratic Office criticized the bill in internal documents released to Democrats.
Sources shared sentiments that funding is among the most important issues facing higher education in Oregon.
“Of course, everything comes to money,” said Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, “I think that higher ed, universities and community colleges will say we need to support them more. We can’t continue on raising tuition for people to go to school, and we need to look at education as a whole.”

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