Party in the Park this year was pretty great and the turnout was inspiring. Many students charged through the booths, amassing sticker after sticker in order to grab themselves some free food. Though aside from the usual proof of visiting student groups, students this year also had to visit four corporate sponsors in order to earn their grub.
Look, we’re college students, and aside from Top Ramen, we don’t come by food too often. Don’t toy with us.
Students went from sponsor to sponsor, listening to spiels and selling points as one final hurdle to obtain their desired culinary prize. In the end, corporate sponsorship isn’t too horrible an aspect of Party in the Park. However, it does shed light on a growing issue.
Is Portland State selling out?
Take a walk through the building that the School of Business Administration is currently housed in. You will find a series of lecture halls and classrooms titled after a variety of corporate sponsors who contributed private funds to our institution. You can take accounting in the Wells Fargo Room, or learn about advertising in the Bank of America Room. It makes you wonder: when you finally get that degree in your hands, will it say “sponsored by Nike” on it?
One perspective to consider is that, as intimidating as private funds may be, we don’t really have a choice. Earlier this year, state legislators proposed a budget cut of $11.5 million to higher education. We were saved by the mercy of Governor Ted Kulongoski, who vetoed the cut at the last minute.
Recently, Oregon’s State Board of Higher Education was able to cut 8.9 percent from the educational budget, a move that would have been much worse if not for the federal stimulus funds that were piped in. Still, Oregon universities expect a 2.3 percent increase in enrollment over the coming year despite the budget cuts.
Another thought to keep in mind is the connection made through such relationships with PSU’s corporate neighbors. Dee Wendler, PSU’s associate vice president for finance, believes that because Portland State’s needs are different than our Oregon University System counterparts, it can bring opportunities, most beneficial. One example is the City of Portland’s archives now being housed in the new Rec Center.
“The relationships we establish have long-term benefits, they are not just monetary,” Wendler said. “They go to our service learning components as well as internships and Capstones.”
Portland State may be considered a smaller part of OUS, but we carry the largest enrollment in the state. This all equals more money needed to keep us running and learning. Until legislators see education as a means of economic prosperity and future investment, we may continue to knock on corporate doors asking for handouts.