The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) is starting up their campaign cycle again with only three projects for the fall term in an effort to become ASUO-recognized and funded again.
OSPIRG board chair Charles Denson said that with this being the second year since the group had its funding revoked by students at the University, the group has certainly had to take nontraditional measures to fund projects and staff members. He also confirmed that OSPIRG will apply for a contract through the Athletics and Contracts Finance Committee this year.
OSPIRG typically works on three or four campaigns from year to year, and while student public interest research groups around the nation have 11 projects to choose from, the number of projects OSPIRG elects to do usually depends on what the University campaign organizers want to work on.
“Every year we set priorities that will benefit the public and students,” Denson said. “With a lot of campaigns, it will be helpful or necessary to hire staff.”
Yet, even without funding, the group does have a campus organizer position, which is funded by OSPIRG rather than the student chapter. Denson said that when the group is fully funded, the student chapter funds a campus organizer position, which is why OSPIRG is looking for funding through the University.
“That’s how it has been until we lost funding,” Denson said.
In an effort to gain support through ASUO, OSPIRG has been reaching out to students and held a kickoff event on Oct. 14 to inspire students to get involved in projects.
Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy attended in order to encourage student activism in light of some campus scrutiny.
Because of the group’s removal from campus in the 2008-09 academic year, many students know about the basic mission of the group, but say they are unclear about how OSPIRG attains funding.
“I’ve heard it either takes a lot of money it doesn’t need or something,” University sophomore Trey Norris said.
ASUO Vice President Maneesh Arora said he got involved with the group in the 2010 winter term after attending last year’s kickoff meeting with a friend. Arora said that while he understands the opinion of those concerned with the financing of the group, he would recommend more people learn about the group.
“I totally respect this opinion … I think it’s good for people to be educated about the issue,” he said.
Some students who attended the University when OSPIRG used student funding said they had ambiguous feelings toward the group.
“I’m kind of mixed; it’s cool the work that they do, but I don’t like (their) canvassing,” University senior Angela Krause said.
Piercy, who also attended the kickoff meeting to give the group political context, encouraged the group to join in her mission for the city and talked about her need for OSPIRG’s role on campus.
“If you know the crisis, (you know) there’s no better time for advocacy,” Piercy said. “We need you, that’s my message to you; we need you.”
Piercy also spoke to critics of OSPIRG’s place on the ASUO budget. She said that when she tries to deal with a national issue in the city’s budget, there is opposition all along the way, drawing the comparison between a tax-funded city budget and the student incidental fee.
“What they do at the federal level comes to live here in our homes, in our lives … Sorry, but I actually breathe this air,” Piercy said.
OSPIRG campaigns
No Drills, No Spills — combats off-shore drilling using the Summer 2010 gulf oil spill as evidence as to why drilling may be dangerous.
Hunger and Homelessness in Eugene — a campaign to fight poverty by lending food, shelter and services to Eugene’s homeless.
New Voters Project — A non-partisan effort to educate voters in the 2010-2011 midterm election.
OSPIRG by the numbers
$117,000 — Amount requested from the Athletics and Contracts Finance Committee by last year’s OSPIRG in an attempt to return to the budget.
$3,745,448 — Total budget of the ACFC for this year
11 — Total number of national student PIRG campaigns to choose from
3 — Average amount of campaigns run per academic year at the University
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