The PSU Office of Government Relations prepares an occasional update of activity. Jesse Cornett, Interim Assistant to the President for Government Relations is the editor. If you have questions about the content of the update, please contact him at 503-725-5040 or cornett [at] pdx.edu.  For an easier to read version of this newsletter, please visit: http://www.pdx.edu/gov-relations/news/

Items in this newsletter:

• BUSY SPRING AT PSU
• HEA REAUTHORIZATION UPDATE
• CONGRESSIONAL RACE TO WATCH
• MURDOCK MEMORIAL CLOCK TOWER
  

BUSY SPRING AT PSU

We’ve had several candidates, elected officials, surrogates and staff members at PSU this spring.  Most recently are Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA), former (and potentially future) first daughter Chelsea Clinton, and Portland Mayoral Candidates Sho Dozono and Sam Adams.

Congressman Brian Baird, who represents our neighbors to the north in Washington’s 3rd District, visited last month to tour the state of the art Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) facilities housed at PSU.  For more information about ONAMI, please visit www.onami.us.

Oregon will likely vote in a contested Presidential Primary for the first time in 40 years next month and the signs of that are all around.  Most recently, Chelsea Clinton headlined a rally for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign at PSU on April 12.  Introduced by the College Democrats President Whitney Pfeifer, hundreds of PSU faculty, staff, students, and members of the community packed the Smith Memorial Student Union 2nd floor lounge to hear Chelsea stump for her mom.  

PSU was proud to co-host one of the first Mayoral Debates in Portland this year between Sam Adams and Sho Dozono on March 20.  The debate was moderated by College of Urban and Public Affairs Dean Larry Wallack and a small panel including PSU student Hannah Fisher, questioned the candidates on specific public policy areas including transportation, economic development, and public safety.   To
watch the debate, please visit: http://www.media.pdx.edu/PO/Adams_Dozono_032008.asx

HEA REAUTHORIZATION UPDATE

Congress appears poised to reauthorize the Higher Education Act soon.  PSU along with many other colleges and universities hope to see improvement in a few areas and retain two new provisions that we would benefit from.  

Congressman David Wu of the 1st District of Oregon has been a champion for many programs that we support including the inclusion of the Urban Serving Research Institutions language.  This program will create competitive grants for urban research universities that are geared toward improving the communities in which they are located.  

In addition, we are very honored to have Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon’s 3rd District champion the Higher Education Sustainability Act, which authorizes a grant program at the Department of Education to support sustainability initiatives and projects at higher education institutions.  It will be an important source of funding for faculty, staff, and students to establish sustainability-based programs on campus.  

The timeline for final approval is unknown but we will keep you posted.

CONGRESSIONAL RACE TO WATCH

The race to replace Congresswoman Darlene Hooley has former Kitzhaber aide Steve Marks facing off against State Senator Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) in the Democratic Primary.  Schrader cleared most competition because he appears able to fund his own campaign.  

Former gubernatorial candidate Kevin Mannix will face Mike Erickson in the Republican Primary.  Erickson self funded a race against Hooley in 2006.

The winner of each Primary will face off in November.  National groups targeting this as one of the top races this fall.  It is only 1 of 2 seats currently held by a retiring Democrat that is considered a seat a Republican could win.

MURDOCK MEMORIAL CLOCK TOWER

Help us dedicate the Debbie Murdock Memorial Clock Tower.
 
Sunday, May 4th 3pm
PSU's Urban Plaza (rain or shine)

Reception immediately following at West Café
1201 SW Jefferson

(Birthday cake in honor of Debbie's birthday will be served, no-host bar)

RSVP to Beckie (rkl@pdx.edu or 725-8020) by 3:00 p.m. on May 1st