Letter from UO President Frohnmayer to the UO Community September 25, 2002

September 25, 2002

Dear Colleagues:

One of my great pleasures each term is to welcome those who have joined us in our academic venture and to express my gratitude to those who work year-round to make this university the special place that it is.

The continuation of idyllic weather past the autumn equinox and its glorious harvest moon reminds us how fortunate we are for our environment. It also allows some latitude for the occasional distraction during the work day as we gaze out the window.

Some of us, of course, look out windows at construction sites and temporary fences. I view the construction cranes on campus as signs of vitality and growth. But I also know the dust and noise affect those on campus in unequal measure. I appreciate the good spirit of those for whom this is a special burden and thank them for their willingness to find ways to make things work.

The school year finds us all too typically poised between appreciation of important achievements and concern about obstacles that stand between us and the kind of university we seek to build together.

Our strategic direction of providing accessible and affordable higher education continues to resonate positively. Indeed, our enrollment is at an all-time high for Oregon students, and the quality of those students measured by test scores and grade point averages is exceptional. We continue to reach out to non-resident and international students as we fulfill our responsibility to be a global participant in providing quality education.

Just days ago Lynn and I welcomed new faculty at a barbecue at McMorran House. The few drops of unexpected rain did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the evening. The quality of these new members of our community is absolutely first rate and the reinvigoration of our teaching and research personnel should be heartening to everyone.

The success of our faculty in demonstrating its quality is found in yet another measure: Vice President Richard Linton reports that sponsored research for this year has exceeded $75 million Ð a 25% increase. This steadily ascending curve of research support is an example of the deserved international reputation of our engagement in the discovery of new knowledge.

A final kudo from an external source provides another satisfying anecdote. For the fifth year in a row, the Fiske Guide to Colleges, produced by the former education editor of The New York Times, ranks the University of Oregon as one of the 43 "Best Buys" in American higher education. We stand among the 19 public universities included in this listing and as one of only a handful on the entire Pacific coast.

In the face of this extraordinary success many persons nonetheless have expressed anxiety to me about the bleak fiscal climate in the state and the repeated budget cuts from five special legislative sessions. We believe the current plan to handle budget cuts, to date, will protect the core of our programs. Indeed, with record enrollments, we are in no position to cut class offerings to students for the fall term. They and we have every right to expect that we will honor our commitment to deliver a first-class education.

We are rapidly developing contingency plans that take into account both the passage and the failure of the income tax surcharge proposal scheduled for a January special election. I need not tell you how detrimental the impact could be on us if the income tax surcharge should fail. We have already consulted with faculty leadership and deans and department heads about potential alternatives and we will keep you informed as developments unfold. We are determined not merely to protect the accessibility of a University of Oregon education but, consistent with our Strategic Directions, also to maintain the quality of the University in its major endeavors.

Beyond these points, we have engaged many members of the University community in discussions about a "New Compact" for Oregon higher education. The new chancellor of the Oregon University System, Richard Jarvis, is currently developing a system-wide approach to the vast majority of the issues contained with the proposed "Compact." The effort is to develop sufficient institutional flexibility through a new understanding with the Board of Higher Education and the Oregon Legislature and Governor to allow us to thrive in the next years of predicted state fiscal difficulty. The compact recognizes that we must earn 82% of our revenue. I am optimistic that we can secure much of this package. While it will not solve every problem, it should give us the capacity not merely to survive but to build.

One of the ways we will build is through a comprehensive private fundraising campaign, for which we are currently developing active plans. I expect the larger university community to be a significant and on-going participant in planning for and execution of the campaign. The balance of fall term will be especially focused on setting academic priorities at every level.

These last two items, the new understanding with the state and our campaign, are the tools we need to achieve the Strategic Directions. Our focus encompasses four areas: improving quality, providing access for qualified students, significantly contributing to the state's economy and to society through research scholarship, and providing a positive environment for student experiences and development. These are the areas on which I will focus my attention this year, and I encourage you to do so as well.

The campus is beginning to fill with students and visitors, a welcome sign of our annual rites of renewal. As we begin this new academic year, I look forward to working with you to build a better and stronger University of Oregon. As always, I remain open to your comments, questions and concerns (pres@oregon.uoregon.edu).

Sincerely,

Dave Frohnmayer President

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Cc: UO Foundation Trustees Chancellor Richard Jarvis