The Beaver Caucus

Join us for Beaver Caucus Day at the Capitol on November 20

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Beaver Caucus Advocate —

You can make a difference for OSU! Can you join us on November 20 at the State Capitol in Salem to advocate for our OSU legislative agenda?

REGISTER NOW

Our primary mission will be to meet with legislators and talk about the importance of higher education and OSU.

The key issues we will be advocating for:

  • Funding for the Arts and Education Complex on the OSU Corvallis campus
  • Funding for the Student Success Center on the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend
  • Funding for the renovation of Cordley Hall on the OSU Corvallis campus

We will meet in the State Capitol Building at 9:30am to discuss strategy, messaging and logistics for the day. Never met with a legislator? No problem! We will walk you through how it’s done, and you will go around to your meetings with several other OSU advocates as a team.

We hope you can join us!

Beaver Caucus Day at the Capitol
Wednesday, November 20
9:30am
Room 350 Oregon State Capitol Building

REGISTER NOW

The Beaver Caucus is an independent, alumni led organization. It is a 501(c)4 with an independent board of directors. The Caucus works closely with the OSU Foundation to engage alumni and supporters, giving them the opportunity to amplify their voice and have a substantive impact on state government.

It’s in the books!

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On Sunday, lawmakers officially wrapped up the 2019 Oregon legislative session. We are grateful for the efforts of OSU supporters like you who called, emailed and visited legislators. You blanketed the Capitol in a wave of orange and black to ensure legislators prioritized higher education and OSU.

Thanks to your hard work the legislature:

  • Increased funding for Oregon’s public universities by $100 million, which will allow OSU to keep tuition increases low
  • Approved a $19.2 million increase for the OSU statewide public service programs, which support agriculture, natural resource and community development programs across the state
  • Allocated $1.6 million for OSU’s PacWave South wave energy test site
  • Funded $65 million in capital renewal projects across Oregon’s seven public universities
  • Expanded the Oregon Opportunity Grant program, the state’s largest need-based financial aid program, to serve an additional 2,500 students

(For more information on legislative action related to OSU, please see the OSU Government Relations Legislative Scorecard.)

But we’re not done yet. During the 2020 legislative session, we will continue to work with the Governor and legislature to ensure that Oregon higher education remains within reach for all those willing to earn a degree. We will be counting on Beaver Caucus members to lead the way in advocating for students and our great university.

Thank you for all you do! Go Beavs!

Sincerely,
Bill Perry
President

Urge Legislators to Support Funding for OSU

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The legislative session is winding down and state legislators are making critical decisions about funding for higher education and Oregon State University.

Unless state funding for higher education is improved this year, OSU will be forced to reduce its expenditures by $18 million each of the next two years. These cutbacks will adversely impact the services available to students and are expected to result in the loss of over 100 positions.

A $120 million increase for Oregon’s public universities would allow OSU to significantly reduce these cutbacks.

But funding for higher education won’t happen without your help! Lawmakers need to hear from you today!

Please take a few minutes to contact your legislators to urge them to support a $120 million funding increase for higher education.

Just click here and you will be taken to an email form. The basic message is already filled out and you will have the option of creating a personalized introduction and closing. Your message will be sent to your state senator and representative.

Oregon is better off when we invest in our students. With your help our state lawmakers will realize the importance of supporting higher education and OSU.

Go Beavs!

Do your part to support OSU!

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The Oregon State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Ways and Means, which will decide how the state budget is allocated over the next two years, is traveling around the state to hear from Oregonians. We want to make sure that OSU is engaged in the discussion so that our elected officials make higher education a priority.

The Ways and Means Committee is holding hearings in Coos Bay, Pendleton, Redmond, and Portland. Please see the details for the hearings below:

  • Coos Bay: Saturday, March 9 – 1pm-3pm – Marshfield High School, Auditorium, 972 Ingersoll Ave.
  • Pendleton: Friday, March 15 – 5:30pm – 7:30pm – Blue Mountain Community College, Pioneer Hall, Bob Clapp Theatre, 2411 NW Carden Ave.
  • Redmond: Saturday, March 16 – 2pm – 4pm – Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, Three Sisters Conference and Convention Center (South Sister), 3800 SW Airport Way
  • Portland: Thursday, March 21 – 5:30pm – 7:30pm – Portland Community College – Cascade, MAHB 104 Auditorium, 5514 N. Albina Ave.

The Beaver Caucus has identified four key issues that we’ll be advocating for during these hearings:

  • An overall increase for university operating funds to help OSU invest in students and hold down tuition increases
  • Funding for the Arts and Education Complex on the OSU Corvallis campus
  • Funding for the Student Success Center on the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend
  • Funding for the OSU statewide public service programs

If these issues resonate with you, can you share your story about what OSU has contributed to you and your community? Please consider testifying at this hearing and urging legislators to support higher education and OSU!

If you haven’t testified before a Legislative Committee, we’re here to help! Email us, info@thebeavercaucus.org, and we’ll walk you through how it’s done and share tips and talking points for presenting your testimony.

The OSU voice must be heard as legislators consider where to invest state funds. OSU and higher education needs your help. Are you willing to be that voice? Please email us, info@thebeavercaucus.org, if you’re willing to testify.

Thank you for your support of OSU. Go Beavs!

Reinvest in the OSU Statewide Public Service Programs

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During the 2019 legislative session we will be seeking a $30 million increase to reinvest and expand OSU’s statewide public service programs: the OSU Extension Service, Agricultural Experiment Station, and Forest Research Laboratory, which support agricultural, natural resource and community development programs across the state.

Beaver Caucus Advocacy Day

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Thank you so much for all of the support, energy and time you devoted to joining us for Beaver Caucus Advocacy Day. We walked the halls of the Capitol, met with legislators and staff and shared the message of prioritizing higher education and OSU projects. We helped legislators see the importance of music and the arts with the Arts and Education Complex; the continued expansion of the OSU-Cascades campus with the Student Success Center; the economic and community impact with the OSU Statewide Public Service Programs and the true benefit of an Oregon State education. Thank you for lending your time and sharing your stories to ensure that the future of Oregon State University remains healthy and strong. We look forward to working with you in the new year! Go Beavs!