Nearly 80 years ago, when the Oregon University System was established, the average college student was far different than today’s. OUS remains focused on the student of the past, instead of addressing the student of today and tomorrow.
Previously, higher education was accessible to the privileged few. Those who had the means could move far away from home to concentrate on their studies. The economy, workforce and world for which they were studying fit OUS’s structure at the time.
Now, a majority of students in higher education come from all walks of life and many are considered non-traditional. Modern students may juggle various commitments—families, jobs and homes—and are unable to suddenly pack up and leave for a school that offers appealing programs.
The current distribution of OUS’s academic programs poses a challenge to contemporary students. In the 1990s, to save money, OUS eliminated many programs, thereby making certain degrees exclusive to each school.
For example, those who plan to obtain an engineering degree must attend either Portland State, Oregon State or the Oregon Institute of Technology. Unfortunately, all of these campuses are in close proximity to one another, leaving those in the state’s southern region without many options. As a result, the limited number of programs in Oregon’s public universities restricts students from pursuing the field of study in which they are interested.
There are still online options, such as PSU’s distance education program. However, not all academic programs are conducive to an online environment, and degrees such as architecture and engineering are not even offered online. Should these students be forced to compromise their plans by choosing another degree?
Furthermore, Oregon’s public universities are becoming more and more crowded. This fall, enrollment is at an all-time high; approximately 92,000 students attend OUS schools—a dramatic increase from previous years. PSU graduated a record number of students last spring, and this term there are about 25,200 students taking courses—a 2.5 percent increase from last year.
The influx of new students is steadily impacting programs exclusive to universities such as PSU. And we should not expect these to be temporary trends; demand for popular degrees, such as engineering, will continue to rise. It is likely that class sizes will become larger, retention rates will go down and overall satisfaction with programs will decrease if OUS fails to re-evaluate itself and adapt to today’s academic needs.
To cope with today’s trends, OUS must allow its universities to offer degrees that match its demographic needs. Of course, some universities will always be known for their prestigious programs. If PSU offered an undergraduate teacher education program, students might still seek out the same program at Western Oregon University. It doesn’t matter what students choose, but it does matter that there are options available. Why should one campus monopolize a specific area of study when the needs of that program exceed a school’s reach?
Currently, it is not easy for a university to introduce a new program or degree. Each university must submit a lengthy proposal to the OUS Provost’s Council, which may or may not be approved. With talk of restructuring, let’s hope that OUS campuses will gain some autonomy when it comes to deciding what programs should be offered.
The mission of OUS is to make higher education accessible to Oregonians, and therefore it should allow its universities to do so, giving each student an equal opportunity to pursue the degree they want.
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