Oregon State University Cascade’s Campus
May 12, 2009 • written by Ryan Tyler
As we all know, the state is in a bit of a budget squeeze and it is taking its toll on higher educational institutions around the state. Specifically, the OSU-Cascades campus has already made cutbacks on many of its educational programs. Tuition at the Cascades campus and Central Oregon Community College are set to increase by 5% at the start of the summer term to try and help makeup for the college’s budget shortfall. Now, there are rumors that the Oregon state legislature is considering shutting down the Oregon State Cascades branch. But, Cascades Campus Dean, Becky Johnson, has her doubts that the State Legislature would eliminate the campus because the campus is vital to many students in the Central Oregon area and it is impractical to abandon a large portion of the OSU campus at a time of economic struggle.
The Corvallis-based campus has announced its classrooms are full, which is forcing many students who planned to transfer to the Corvallis campus, to stay in Central Oregon for at least another year. Currently the OSU-Cascades has roughly 500 students enrolled, and classes average around 24 students per class; whereas the Corvallis campus at times holds lecture halls that cram in 200-300 students at one time. Many students are happy to be staying at the Cascades campus for longer as it’s much easier to learn one on one from the teacher due to the smaller-class setting.
Still, Bend continues to grow; so, how long will the Cascades campus be a “24 student per class” school? Not for long as COCC is already overcrowded and had to shut down admission and enrollment to new students this spring due to the hordes of students now attending. There simply is no more room at COCC, which averages 7000 students enrolled at some point in a given school year, and the OSU-Cascades campus, which enrolls about 500 a year.
Many people around the community are wondering when the state is going to take the needs of Central Oregon a little more seriously. Should COCC/OSU-Cascades be bumped up to the university status where students can live at home and earn a four-year degree? Many people say yes; Central Oregon is ready to harbor a four-year university. As a matter of fact it’s probably hard to find someone in the entire Central Oregon region that wouldn’t like to see a university housed in Bend. Central Oregon has also been named by the Central Oregon Regional Advisory Board (CORAB) as “the largest area in the nation without a regionally sited university.”
So, the Oregon State legislature is rumored to be debating whether or not to shut down the OSU-Cascades campus due to a budget crunch, but many Central Oregonians think the Oregon legislature should be considering the Bend region for a university status. The state legislature wants to downsize OSU-Cascades campus; on the other hand the Bend community wants to upgrade Central Oregon. One thing is for sure, the OSU-Cascades campus is vital to all students who attend and it would be very impractical for the state legislature to shut down an educational institute of this magnitude. It is even more impractical since the student enrollment is expected to grow over the next few years, proving its worth to people all around the Central Oregon region.
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