THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 112
Event of the day Can’t get enough free live music? Don’t miss the opportunity to watch this week’s Performance Attendance Recital Series concert titled “String Area,” featuring students, faculty, community and professional musicians. When: Noon Where: The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave
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INSIDE Arts
A campus-wide forum was held Tuesday to discuss potential funding options Joe Hannan Vanguard staff
Pleasant Conversation This Lime Tree Bower is an experience in dialogue between actors and audience PAGE 4
At an all-campus forum on Tuesday, the university administration continued to discuss the possibility of the Oregon University System being restructured. Currently, the OUS faces budget cuts, tuition increases and a lack of state funding. About 150 people attended the forum—though few were students—at which the administration stressed that the progressive cusp upon which the OUS once rode must return to the
forefront, and that new solutions need to be created to address the future. Though Oregon boasted one of the best higher education systems in the world in 1968, according to Chancellor George Pernsteiner, the chief executive of the OUS, its current relationship with the state is degrading. During the forum, Pernsteiner outlined the general decline of the OUS and addressed many of the problems and challenges that exist within its relationship with the state. Though funding from the state has been in decline over the years, tuition rates have continued to rise, according to PSU President Wim Wiewel. “When those two lines cross, that is when a university goes from
Outreach over restructure continues public to private,” he said. “We crossed that line 10 years ago.” With only 16 percent of PSU’s funding coming from the state, PSU faces serious problems in the near future. Tuition and fees will continue to increase, as they have over the years. Currently, full-time, in-state students pay $6,400 per year, whereas only 20 years ago they were paying $1,540. Also, students are paying for two-thirds of tuition while the state only pays
Lectures we want to hear Oral History Space brings a refreshing change to the weekend itinerary PAGE 4
Restructure forum: OUS and PSU officials informed those gathered about growing financial
for one-third, according to Lindsay Desrochers, president for finance and administration at PSU. According to Pernsteiner and Desrochers, the university student has become a “customer” student. With the increase in tuition, students who attend PSU must have the financial means to do so. “The problem in Oregon is that the upper middle class and above have the capability to pay for college,” Pernsteiner said. “That leaves out the lower classes.” In order for students from all socio-economic backgrounds to be able to attend PSU, Pernsteiner said that the reformation of the OUS would have to occur. Given the OUS’ current trajectory, budget cuts are likely to occur and tuition will continue to rise if its relationship with the state is not changed, according to Desrochers. After the presentations, Wiewel’s seven restructuring ad hoc committees held a Q-and-A forum regarding what a possible restructure could mean for PSU. Each committee stated its purpose, but the consensus was that PSU needed a change for students, faculty and staff.
Michael Pascual/Portland State Vanguard
needs and the potential options for revamping the system. Catchy hooks and husky vocals Gritty rock from Benson Jones and others comes to Plan B tonight PAGE 5
Sports
SFC budget signed by president Student fee to remain low for the coming year Vinh Tran
Vanguard staff
Volleyball club hits the net Rec club is easy to join and fun for all PAGE 6 A scholarly pursuit of sports PSU courses beyond Phys Ed that relate to athletics PAGE 6
President Wim Wiewel recently signed off on the Student Fee Committee’s budget for the 2010–11 academic year. A total of $13.2 million was allocated, a decrease from last year’s allocation of $14.7 million. Next year, the student fee will remain at $218 per term for full-time students. Wiewel received the final budget from the SFC on April 9 after it was approved by the Student Senate. The university president then had 10 days to go over the budget and make his recommendations to the SFC. However, he signed off on the budget after only six days. “The support from the student fee is critical to the overall success of PSU’s student community,” Wiewel wrote in a letter to the SFC. “The effort you have made this year is very much appreciated.” One reason for this year’s quick turn-around time was due to the level of communication between him and the SFC throughout the year, according to Wiewel. In addition, this year’s budget process was much more streamlined
because of the SFC’s efforts in formulating guiding principles, from which it could work. After receiving this year’s final budget, Wiewel said he did not request any changes to be made. Wiewel, who is a relatively new university president, said last year’s approval process was rushed, which produced a few surprises for him when he looked over the final budget. “Due to a number of circumstances last year, at the end of the process, [the SFC] had a difficulty of making quorum, a lot was done last minute, so some errors were made,” said Michele Toppe, interim dean of students. Last year, Wiewel raised objections when the previous SFC members decided to severely reduce funding for the athletic department, as well as when it dipped into the $1.7 million in reserve funds as a means to compensate for the $3.2 million deficit. Also, in the final budget, between $600,000–700,000 funding for Student Legal Services was missing. “Last year, before it came to me for a formal proposal, we had a discussion and I indicated some of my concerns with the [SFC] leadership,” Wiewel said. “The chair and vice chair then went back and
Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard
The last stop: Before going to the OUS Chancellor, the SFC budget was approved by
President Wim Wiewel (left). The committee received assistance from interim Dean of Students Michelle Toppe (right).
modified the budget in accordance with my concerns.” Wiewel said he told last year’s SFC chair that they could not reduce funding for athletics, and that they either had to find other cuts or raise the student fee by $18 a term. The president said he was surprised when he later heard several SFC members made complaints to the Vanguard, attributing the student fee increase to his suggestion. Current Chair of the SFC Johnnie Ozimkowski said he does not blame Wiewel for last year’s student fee increase. “The previous year's SFC made a lot of mistakes, which I had to
fix,” Ozimkowski said. “I feel like they went into the budget process with an ‘us versus them’ attitude, whereas I came in with an ‘all for one and one for all’ attitude.” According to Ozimkowski, the SFC achieved success this year by building relationships and by holding open forums to gain feedback from the university community. In addition, Ozimkowski said he is proud of his group for making quorum at every official meeting, as well as the fact that all seven members—who are elected by the student body— remained on the committee for the entire year.
SFC continued on page two