During its last meeting before the winter break, the University Senate discussed the Bend branch campus, Autzen Stadium expansion and approved a report by the University Curriculum Committee.
University Provost John Moseley opened the Wednesday afternoon meeting by briefly describing the final version of the University’s proposal to open a branch campus in Bend. The University is currently competing with Oregon State University for the opportunity to open a campus in Central Oregon.
Moseley said Oregon University Chancellor Joseph Cox has asked him to not release the final version of the report to the public until Friday so Senate members were only able to review some of the University’s plans for the Bend campus.
“This is not a public document it’s a working document,” he said.
While many Senate members have expressed their support of the University’s plans to attempt a move into the Bend area, some had doubts about the competitiveness of the University’s liberal arts education in Central Oregon when compared to OSU’s professional programs.
Moseley defended the University’s proposal and said he is confident the University’s programs are what Central Oregon wants and needs.
“You will see we make a very strong case for what Central Oregon has asked for,” he said. “It is the kind of education that will serve them throughout their career.”
Associate Professor of French Barbara Altmann voiced her concerns about what she called a game of “corporate one-upmanship” between the University and OSU over the branch campus. She said she was curious what the University’s unspoken agenda was in seeking the branch campus, especially at a time when the University will soon be going to the state legislature to seek funding.
“What’s the risk if we don’t go through with this,” she said, “will the balance swing in the legislature?”
University President and English Professor James Earl also voiced his displeasure at what has become a contest between the two universities.
“I resent that … to bring us down to the wire like two horses running for a prize,” he said.
University President Dave Frohnmayer said it was unfortunate the two schools had to compete for the branch campus, but added it was in the University’s best interests to enter the Central Oregon market.
“We need to show our outreach in tangible ways,” he said.
Chemistry Professor Michael Kellman,who serves on the Senate Budget Committee, described the funding plans for the branch campus. He said the first two years would be largely funded by the state. By the campus’ fourth or fifth year, Kellman said it should be able to support itself if there was a major withdrawal of state funding.
“The most significant thing is that this must not be a financial drain on the Eugene campus,” he said.
At the end of the meeting the Senate voted to support the University’s proposal.
Following Moseley’s report on the branch campus, Vice President for Administration Dan Williams informed senate members the University is moving ahead with its expansion plans for Autzen stadium to increase football revenues so the University can stop making a $2 million appropriation to the Athletic Department.
This sparked some debate by senators who resented the appropriation in the first place.
“The unspoken assumption I see here is that athletics must not cut costs,” said Associate Professor of English Martha Bayless.
Athletic Director Bill Moos said the University of Washington has the only athletic department in the Pacific 10 Conference that can operate on its revenue only.
“The only way they can do that is because they have a 76,000 seat stadium that’s full six times a year,” he said, adding the stadium expansion is therefore a key element of ending the University Athletic Departments dependency on its appropriation.
Concluding the meeting was a report by the University Curriculum Committee on proposed class changes for upcoming terms. The committee compiled a list of over 250 classes that have not been taught in three years to be dropped from the course catalog. This list was unanimously approved by the senate, who also voted to drop the math satisfying part of Computer and Information Science 121.