Editorial: Release the stranglehold on academic diversity

The Oregon University System is diverse and its individual institutions have worked hard to carve out unique identities to meet the needs of their communities. However, because of OUS policies disallowing the duplication of academic programs among the state’s universities, the schools have their hands tied in adapting to the needs of students and in fostering a well-rounded academic environment.

Oregon schools in particular are geared to serve the educational needs of their geographic regions, so to limit access to programs because they are offered at schools hours away is a disservice to local economies and to the marketplace of ideas. Not allowing identical academic programs to coexist at multiple universities, limits the ability of schools to compete with neighboring private institutions and with each other.

As educational needs change, schools need to change as well, beginning with offering more academic programs at each university. This freedom will also increase the quality of the academics, because as universities work to attract students, they must also work to obtain the best staff and facilities to outdo their sister institutions.

The OUS non-duplication policies date back to the late 1920s. Because of recent budget constraints, the range of programs offered at Oregon public universities has been diminished.

Various factors contributed to the reduced funding for duplicate programs, and stopgap measures were taken by the OUS to keep the various institutions functioning. Thus, dozens of academic programs deemed to be duplicates were cut. During the last two decades, tuition increased by nearly 40 percent for Oregon students.

University programs are collaborative in nature; they exist in concert with those around them. For example, to have a widely published Anthropology Department, it would be ideal to have campus writing labs filled with trained writers to tutor their peers. An environmental science program would likely benefit from students and faculty versed in public policy implementation.

With more programs offered, more diversely trained workers are released into the work force. Their business ventures and innovations could make their way back to the university in the form of funding and research.

Oregon universities must have the freedom to choose for themselves what degrees they offer to best serve their communities, to be competitive and to allow students to receive a well-rounded education. As Oregon lawmakers reconsider the current funding model for its schools, they should also consider lifting its stranglehold on academic diversity.