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Students from Oregon universities and community colleges prepare for a rally on the Capitol steps in Salem. The rally, at which Governor Ted Kulongoski spoke, hosted more than 500 students.

Students ask for stepped up support

Around 500 students, 52 from OSU, descend on the Capitol to lobby for higher education

By: Lauren Dillard

Posted: 2/23/07

Under the shadow of Oregon's original pioneer - a gold statue perched atop the Oregon Capitol Building in Salem - students rallied on Thursday in support of higher education.

At 11:45 a.m., buses from Mt. Hood Community College, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Portland State University and other area schools arrived at the capitol.

Snowed in, Southern Oregon University failed to show.

"Legislators, show us the money," chanted Courtney Morse, Oregon Student Association board vice-chair and Portland State University student-body president. Before the speeches began, students led the crowd in chants asking for support of higher education.

"It's been a long time since we've gathered on the Capitol steps," said Megan Driver, OSA board chair and ASOSU director of state affairs.

Students in the crowd were carrying signs that displayed their request for support from legislators and complaints about the current state of higher education.

"Over a decade of disinvestment in post-secondary education has left students paying more," said Key Jackson, Oregon Students of Color Coalition co-chair and WOU student. Jackson mentioned that her education drained her finances so much that she had to quit school for a time to get a full-time job to pay for school.

"Stop paying more and getting less," she said. "Legislators: we need you to put on your chef's hats and cook up this recipe for us."

The recipe she is referring to includes 12 ingredients and one special tool - the Oregon Legislature - to serve 3.7 million Oregonians.

OSA is calling this a recipe for a stronger Oregon. Ingredients include the shared responsibility model - a model to reduce out of pocket costs for working students, the Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone program - a high school-level mentoring program, lower tuition costs, more access to and increased numbers of professors, increased rural access to higher education and an increase in the quality of educational facilities.

"Using state Legislature, combine all ingredients in Oregon's university and college systems. Serve at once," instructs the recipe card provided by OSA.

Thursday, OSA aimed for the students on the Capitol steps to be heard by the legislators and their staff members working inside.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who spoke during the rally, encouraged students to talk to their legislators. OSA encouraged asking them for what students need, and providing the recipe for them to do it.

"We are making an investment in our future and you are that future," Kulongoski said, regarding changes that have already been discussed since the legislative session opened in January.

"Too many of our young people are not driven to achieve a college degree," said Rep. Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver).

Rep. Larry Galizio (R-Tigard), a former Portland Community College professor and chair of the ways and means subcommittee on higher education, gave the crowd a pop quiz.

"... and the stipulation is that it needs to be loud enough that my colleagues in the building can hear you," Galizio said.

The crowd easily passed Galizio's test. The bottom line was that students need more support, and higher education needs more money.

Chemeketa Community College President and Oregon State Board of Higher Education member Gretchen Shuette said OSA had almost made the task too easy for legislators - the recipe cards lay out the solution.

"Thank you for bringing your voices to the state Capitol where they belong," she said. "I am so thrilled to be a university and community college cheerleader."

One goal for the Legislature that Shuette has laid out is that no Oregonian should be denied access to post-secondary education because of their income.

Executive Director of OSA Melissa Unger estimated that 500 students attended the rally. Forty-two OSU students rode with ASOSU and at least 10 OSU students stayed to lobby legislators in individual meetings.

"It's time to reinvest to make Oregon stronger," Driver said.