OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS

For Immediate Release

July 8, 2013

Contact: Kevin Curry, 503-986-1351

CENTRAL OREGON LEGISLATORS APPLAUD FUNDING TO EXPAND OSU – CASCADES CAMPUS

Salem, OR—Calling it a “tremendous opportunity for higher education in Central Oregon,” Rep. Jason Conger (R-Bend) applauded the allocation of $16 million in bonds to expand the Oregon State University-Cascades campus. The legislation authorizing the bonds, Senate Bill 5506, passed the House on Monday, July 8.

“Many years of effort and broad community support have resulted in OSU-Cascades growing enrollment and expansion to a four-year university,” Rep. Conger said. “The next step is to develop a campus to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff, and we need these funds to complete the picture.”

The $16 million will be matched by $4 million in philanthropic support as well as $4 million in other revenues, providing a total of $24 million for renovation and expansion. A recent analysis of the space needed to meet the demand found that the campus will need 40-60 acres by 2025 to hold 600,000 square feet of academic, student and community space. By the fall of 2015, OSU-Cascades will need 70,000 to 90,000 square feet of additional academic and office space, and student housing.

“This is one of what I know will be many significant moments in OSU-Cascades’ history,” OSU-Cascades Vice President Becky Johnson said. “We appreciate the state Legislature’s investment in the educational, economic and cultural future of Central Oregon.”

Rep. Conger credited passage of the bonding authority to the sustained effort and teamwork of the Central Oregon legislative delegation, Rep. Gene Whisnant, Rep. John Huffman, Rep. Mike McLane and Sen. Tim Knopp, who worked throughout the 2013 session to ensure the OSU-Cascades bonds were ultimately approved.

“I fought on for several sessions to keep OSU-CC open, and am proud to be part of the Central Oregon legislative delegation which assisted in helping OSU-CC to become a four-year university,” Rep. Whisnant said. “It will provide an economic stabilizing force for Central Oregon, in addition to the educational and cultural benefits.”

This is the third session that Rep. Jason Conger has represented Bend in the Oregon Legislature. For more information, contact him at rep.jasonconger@state.or.us or 503-986-1454.

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