| by Michael Dreiling, President, AAUP-Oregon
Dear AAUP members across Oregon:
I hope your academic term is off to a fine start. As you know, a full legislative session has begun in Salem. A lot is on the table, and we hope you will watch our updates in the coming months. Big ticket items will involve desperately needed revenue reform for our state. Governor Brown recognizes this and our continued inability to square our student needs with state resources. As she said in her January 14 inauguration speech: “Now is the time to put our state on a better path forward… We have not significantly increased per pupil spending since the early 1990s. While other states were able to invest in schools and take advantage of economic recoveries, Oregon has had to rely on state funds to backfill local property taxes.”
The struggle to get more support to our schools, colleges, and universities remains a high legislative priority for your team of AAUP-Oregon staff, our volunteer legislative committee, and our lobbyist, Chris Parta. Our staff and leadership are working with university administrators and lobbyists on revenue and budget priorities, and with a broad coalition on some other exciting bills. We will be sharing more details in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned and consider joining us for the Higher Education Lobby Day, where we will stand in coalition as students, staff, and faculty for a better supported higher education system in our state. |
