Break up the Oregon University System? I don't think so...

Tim Young

This session, the Oregon University System could be broken into three parts with Portland State University and the University of Oregon having their own local governing boards, and Oregon State University and the regional campuses sticking together.

There will be little or no value added by having local boards for the U of O and PSU, and I feel by having them it will encourage less cooperation between campuses, duplication of services, fighting, turf wars, ego battles and dysfunction. I feel like this legislation is designed to please Phil Knight of Nike, who makes a ton of money off of university athletics countrywide. I feel this is an attempt to give him and his company control over their very own public university. It is simply wrong. Corporate management with profit motives clashes with the public mission of public universities. It is like having an accountant manage a school field trip -- silly, out of place and a waste of time.

This is a bad idea. Leave the system intact. Fund the system instead of rearranging chairs on the deck hoping that will solve any problems. I urge Oregon legislators to vote no.

By Tim Young Feb. 14, 2013