OCTOBER 2007, FORUM
Reinvestment in education is vital
Kudos to Abraham Hyatt for the thought-provoking article [COLLEGE
INC., SEPTEMBER] on some of the many challenges facing
Oregon’s institutions of higher education.
Of course, the piece raised more questions than it provided
answers, yet it reaffirmed what I observed firsthand in my role
as chair of the Ways & Means Education Subcommittee in the
2007 legislative session: Oregon’s universities are very
fortunate to possess thoughtful leaders such as Dave
Frohnmayer, Ed Ray and Marvin Kaiser.
Additionally, it’s worth repeating that Oregon university
faculty ranked seventh in the nation in the amount of federal
research dollars garnered in 2006. Unfortunately, because
we have failed to adequately invest in Oregon’s colleges
and universities, these same exceptionally productive faculty
members are compensated poorly when compared to similar
institutions nationwide.
Balancing what Hyatt refers to as the
“businessification” of universities with the
broader mission of higher learning will remain a significant
challenge in the decades to come. Yet, regardless of
one’s position on the myriad issues raised in the
article, it’s imperative that we continue the
reinvestment in our institutions of higher education that began
with the 2007 legislative session.
Larry Galizio
Democratic state representative, Tigard
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