Last spring, hundreds of Oregon college and university students traveled to the state Capitol steps to ask legislators to reinvest in higher education. They ended up with the most significant reinvestment in higher education since 1999.
The $868 million allocated to universities is in large part a result of the Oregon Student Association’s work, whose mission is to represent college and university students at the statewide level.
“There’s a lot of decisions that affect students that are being made in Salem,” said Brett Rowlett, OSA legislative director. “With OSA at the table we’re able to guarantee that student interests are always considered.”
Man-Ying Fong, ASUO public relations coordinator, said students will see the state funding help to curb rising tuition next year.
“This past legislative session was the first time in about 12 years where the legislators actually looked at funding colleges and universities,” Fong said. But, she said, “it’s not by any means a solution to the problem.”
2007 student legislative victories? Reinvestment in higher education: $868 million for Oregon universities and $500 million for Oregon community colleges. ? Tuition increases capped at 3.4 percent – the median family income. ? A solid budget for OHSU to educate medical professionals. ? Adoption of the Shared Responsibility Model, which will theoretically close the affordability gap for students. ? State funding for ASPIRE (Access to Student Assistance Programs In Reach of Everyone), a high school mentoring program that increases access to college. ? Maintained funding for the Student Child Care Program, which enables some student-parents to attend college. ? Legislation regarding textbook prices and student media freedom of speech. ? A commitment to discussing university resource fees. |
Increased state funding is not the only thing student lobbyists achieved this year. The state passed several other pieces of legislation affecting students, many of which OSA pushed for.
The legislature approved Governor Ted Kulongoski’s proposed Shared Responsibility Model, a major step forward for need-based aid in Oregon. Under the model, students who borrow what they can and work outside of school will also be assisted by the state. The idea is for the state to step in to fill the affordability gap where the federal government does not.
In order to fund the Shared Responsibility Model, the state more than doubled funding for need-based aid.
Several pieces of legislation were also approved last year, including one that requires textbook publishing companies to disclose the full list of available textbooks to professors. Previously, the publishers made recommendations to professors based on sales. Additionally, the professors will have access to bookstore prices and dates of past editions.
The textbook legislation has a second component, one that requires any materials associated with a textbook to be offered individually. For example, textbooks that come with CDs or workbooks will not necessarily be sold as a package. Rather, students will be able to choose which of the supplemental materials they want to purchase.
“We really feel that even if it saves students a couple hundred dollars a year, that’s a couple hundred dollars students can spend on something else,” said Rowlett.
Currently, OSA is determining its legislative agenda for the 2009 session. Next week, it will distribute a survey to students across Oregon campuses to gauge what students want to see discussed in Salem. Ultimately, five or six key issues will become the focus of the next biennium.
Courtney Sproule, OSA communications director, said students helped carry reinvestment in higher education from a low state priority to a top issue.
“Coming off this really successful session, it’s just really important for students to know… we still have a long road ahead of us,” Sproule said. “We’ve just started to make up for the things that were cut.”
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