PSU Magazine Winter 1989

"Don't panic," The Oregonian advises Portland State in a recent editori al. The proposal of the American Electronics Assoc iation (AEA) to abo li sh PSU and make its campus into a colonial enc lave of the two universities up the valley is just an innocuous suggestion (says The Oregonian), one that will be jo ined by other proposals to be considered by Governor Neil Go ldschmidt's Commi ss ion on Higher Education in the Portland Metropo litan Area. The Oregonian should know better. The AEA proposal is too flimsy on its merits to be considered as a sensible alternati ve . Can anyone seriously be lieve that hi gher education in the Portland area would be enhanced if funding and staffing leve ls were dec ided by admini strators in Corvallis and Eugene? Would they selfless ly di sregard their loca l constituencies and work in stead to make Portland the center of higher educati on in Oregon that it should be? Of course not. But a graduate center for engineering and high technology, which the AEA proposal would establish in Washington County as an arm of Oregon State Uni versity, would be conveniently in the electronics industry's back yard , easily influenced by the indu stry and safe from state admini strators a hundred miles away. Never mind that the quality of undergraduate and liberal arts education isn't seriously addressed by the AEA proposa l. Don't panic , Portland State? Well , let's look at some facts. Portland State has been without a permanent pres ident for a year now, and the Board of Higher Education is just now adverti sing fo r the slot. When Governor Goldschmidt proposed a two-tier state uni versity tuition level last year, with Portl and State alone in the second ti er, some local business leaders started to organize on behalf of PS U. Don't get exc ited , advised Paul Bragdon, the Governor's higher education adviser. It will all work out okay for PSU. Instead of mobili zing to defend PSU, the business community was persuaded to underwrite the Commi ss ion , which now has before it the ill -conceived proposal to abolish PSU. We're at a cri sis po int , my fe llow alumni . PSU students thronged the Nov. 9 Commission meeting where the AEA proposal was presented . They are willing to battle fo r PSU's life , and we have to do the same . Write letters to The Oregonian, to the Governor's Commi ssion, to the Governor himself. Tell your neighbors and your friends at work that you want a strong presence for higher education in Portl and and that Portland State has to be the center of it. If we don't mount a visible public outcry about the AEA proposal ri ght now, the PSU we have loved and nurtured over the years will slip away from us. Foundation audit completed This October Coopers & Lybrand fini shed an independent audit of the PSU Foundation. Results show balances in all fund s grew by $400 ,000 , an increase of approximate ly 20% over last year. Contributi ons to the Foundation exceeded $ I millio n fo r the second consecuti ve year. The unrestricted account , which had a defic it balance last year of $25 ,000 , has a pos iti ve balance of approx imately $ 110 ,000 . We're looking for a few good alumni ... PSU needs alumni advocates. If you're interested in the future of higher education in Oregon, and at PSU, you may be just the person we're looking fo r. The Alumni Board will be identi fy ing the volunteers to serve as alumni advocates by leg islati ve di strict around the state . If you would like to learn how you can make a di fference, please contact: Pat Squire or Teresa O ' Hearn PSU Alumni Office P.O . Box 751 Portland , OR 97207 (503) 725-4948 Business partnership The Foundation is offering companies an opportunity to establish themse lves as long-term contributors to Portland State. Through Corporate Partners a portion of corporate contributions can be des ignated to spec ific programs with the remaining fund s going to Uni versity-w ide support. Corporate Partners will enjoy privileges of membership , including access to the PSU Branford Price Mill ar Library; a Corporate Speaker's Bureau, whi ch makes avail able outstanding faculty speakers for company meetings; se lected reports from the University admini stration; and spec ial recogniti on opportunities. Many compani es support Portl and State through contributi ons on behalf of the ir employees. Corporate Matching G ift programs. where the company matches its employees' contribut ions to charitable organi zations, is one method of prov iding additional support. Another innovative approac h is to base the corporate contribution on the number of PSU alumni in the fi rm . Farmer's In surance Group prov ides scholarshi p support each year using thi s mode l. Annual Fund launched PSU Deve lopment began its annual fund program in November with a personal letter from the Deans of each Sc hoo l or Co llege to the ir respecti ve grad uates. The Annual Fund is an opportunity fo r alu mni and friends to participate in the growth of PSU. This year, indi viduals who woul d li ke to donate annuall y $ 1,000 or more , may become President 's Associates . Members of thi s presti gious group rece ive specia l seating for theater. dance and pi ano performances; in vitations to spec ial seminars , an annual brunch . access to guest speakers; recognition of membershi p di spl ayed in a prominent place on campus: and more. For information on the Annu al Fund and the President 's Assoc iates. contact the PSU Deve lopment Office, 725-4478. PSU 23