OSU students will have ready access to the COCC library.

OSU to manage Central Oregon campus

The state's first branch university campus will be managed by Oregon State University and will offer degrees and programs in collaboration with other Oregon public universities.

The State Board of Higher Education on Feb. 16, by a vote of 10 to 1, selected OSU to serve as the manager for the new Central Oregon branch, but mandated that the chancellor of the Oregon University System and the presidents of both OSU and the University of Oregon "forge a statement of collaboration" to "maximize the value of higher education services in Central Oregon as part of the implementation plan."

The collaborative plan will enable students currently enrolled to complete programs and earn their degrees from the campus at which they are enrolled. It also will allow the new branch to capitalize upon the respective academic strengths of all Oregon University System campuses.

Higher education officials are meeting with officials at Central Oregon Community College to begin transition planning for the new branch while they await final legislative support.

Oregon University System officials have asked the legislature to appropriate $7.2 million to implement the transition and establish the branch. The funding request is pending as lawmakers weigh higher education appropriations as part of the state's 2001-2003 biennial budget.

Pending funding by the legislature, the new branch campus will begin operation in the fall. It will be housed in a separate building on the COCC campus, replacing the OUS Central Oregon University Center that has brokered upper-division courses and programs for the region.

OSU already is beginning effortsc to be ready for a fall opening and has been working on staffing and curriculum issues.

"While there are limits to how far we can proceed before the funding is finalized," said Tim White, OSU provost and executive vice president, "there are also a lot of things we must begin now as we wait for a decision from the legislature. To do otherwise would put a successful launch this September at risk."

OSU Blood Drive is Number One
By Dennis Wolverton

Bill Warden, a senior in business from Shedd, is a regular donor at Red Cross OSU blood drives.

"OSU is the biggest drive we have in the Northwest Region," said Douglas Tracy of the American Red Cross. "It helps immensely in increasing our inventory of blood."

Tracy explained that in the last few months donations hadn't kept up with need, and the Red Cross was in a Yellow Alert. This warning signals that the ARC can meet only 70 percent of the blood requirement for the region's hospitals. That includes 80 hospitals in Oregon, Washington and southeast Alaska for which the Red Cross is the sole source of blood and blood products.

Every two seconds a hospital patient in the United States needs a transfusion to live. Only 5 percent of the eligible population donates.

OSU is hands down the ARC's Northwest Regional blood donation champion and may lead the Pac-10 as well. The only contender, it seems, is the University of Arizona. In a one-week fall event, Arizona - about 35,000 students - collected 1,455 units. Oregon State's thrice-a-year drives, totaling eight days, yield a little more than 3,000 units annually.

The Red Cross' yellow alert is still in effect, but not because OSU's students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends didn't do their part. Noel Mingo, of Health and Human Performance, works hard as the Red Cross' on-campus coordinator, and the MU donates its ballroom three times a year.

Tracy credits ROTC, the Barometer, Student Health Center, the pre-nursing program, and OSU's Cultural Centers and Dixon Recreation Center for much of the success. The assistance given by living groups, residence halls and the Greek system, he says, is invaluable. Acacia's participation level, for instance, was 85.7 percent.

The individuals that make the OSU drive work so well Tracy says, "are too many to name - the list would fill up three pages."

Higher ed rally Approximately 2,000 students, staff and alumni from all of the Oregon University System institutions converged on the steps of the Capitol in Salem on March 6 to rally in support of higher education. The Oregon Student Association, which organized the rally, opposes Gov. John Kitzhaber's proposed budget, which would increase tuition by four percent in each of the next two years and leave the state's seven universities $96 million short of what is needed to continue current services in 2001-1002. The proposed budget could hit OSU the hardest. It calls for $16.9 million in cuts to the university's statewide programs. Legislators expressed their support for higher education but are waiting for updated revenue forecasts to finalize budget plans.

To be enacted, the proposal requires approval from the undergraduate and graduate senates, OSU President Paul Risser, and the Oregon University System.

Since 1945, Benny Beaver has been OSU's official athletic mascot, appearing in logo form as a lovable, docile Beaver with an almost cartoon-like appearance.

In January, the Office of University Advancement announced that the new, "angry" Beaver logo, which appeared two years ago as a part of an effort to give OSU football a new face lift and a more aggressive image, has now replaced the former Benny likeness and will be the mascot image used to represent OSU in all official athletic and academic activities. In addition to updating the Benny Beaver image, the university is developing a new logo, which is expected to be in place by next fall.

Until the announcement was made, both Beaver logos had been in use: the "angry" Beaver artwork being used almost exclusively for athletics and the kinder, gentler Benny for other school functions.

In reporting the change, most Oregon newspapers and television stations also took the opportunity to cover, if only briefly, the history of athletic mascots at Oregon State, complete with lots of mistakes. One reporter even listed a "bulldog" as an early OSU mascot!

To set the record straight and to give some historical context for the introduction of the new Benny, here's a brief account of the history of OSU athletic mascots, including the story of the "bulldog."

"Jimmy" was a coyote c. 1892-93
OSU's first mascot was a coyote named "Jimmy." According to a listing of historical items in the OSU Archives, Jimmy was the college's mascot in 1893 and was owned by M.H. Kriebel, a local football enthusiast. At the time, OSU was known simply as "State Agricultural College" or S.A.C, and the school colors were probably navy blue and white. To date, sources outside the holdings of the university archives that document this mascot have not been found.

Use of "Beavers" as a team name c. 1910
This is disputed, but records in the archives suggest OSU was first referred to as the "Beavers" in 1910. Some historians argue the date is later, around 1916. The name had been changed by this time to Oregon Agricultural College.

"Bulldog" 1906-1910
Oregon State Athletic Director James Arbuthnot owned a bulldog in the early 1900s, seen pictured with some OAC athletic squads from the period.
The dog was an "unofficial" mascot of some athletic teams, particularly wrestling (Arbuthnot was the coach) and football. The bulldog was never the school's official mascot, in the same sense as a J.R.N. Bell or a Benny the Beaver.

The "Human" Mascot ... John Robert Newton Bell 1893-1928
Sometime after football was introduced at Oregon State, Corvallis' John Robert Newton Bell, a Presbyterian minister and longtime member of the OAC Board of Regents, became the team's most passionate supporter. As things evolved, Bell became the official school "mascot," and he is so pictured and written about in early school yearbooks.
His chief claim to fame was his ritual of marching to the Mary's River after each OSU Civil War victory to toss his top hat into the water as a token of celebration. The event grew into one of Corvallis' most anticipated social events and by the 1920s was an established ritual in the community. To honor his devotion to the university in general and to athletics in particular, Oregon State honored Bell in the 1920s by naming its football field, known up to that time informally as "The College Field," Bell Field was replaced by Parker Stadium (now Reser Reser Stadium) in the early 1950s. Bell Field was located where the Dixon Recreation Center is today. Bell said in a 1922 newspaper article that he became OSU's official mascot of athletics in 1893.

"Beavo" Beaver c. 1920
References to "Beavo" are very thin, and there is some question as to how long or if Beavo was ever an official mascot of the university. It may have been an attempt to replace Bell with a live beaver, to mark the national trend (begun around 1910) of calling athletic teams from the school "Beavers."

"Billy" Beaver 1933-1944
In 1933, a cover of the Oregon State alumni magazine includes a full-blown photo of "Billy," a live beaver under the care of the school's Wildlife Club. Copy underneath the photo clearly identifies Billy as the school's new "beaver mascot." His cartoon likeness appears throughout the 1930s and early 1940s in newspapers and other publications, particularly the Barometer, and his face resembles slightly the kinder, gentler "Benny" recently replaced by an "angry" Beaver.

"The Gnawed Log" 1943
No, a "gnawed log" has never been an Oregon State mascot, but the name was used to title a sports column in the Barometer in 1943, and it was written by none other than one "Benny Beaver." This is the earliest reference to "Benny Beaver" thus far found by OSU sports historians. The column was probably from the typewriter of either Russ Sackett or Dick Jenning, '44, both on the sports staff of the Barometer.

"Benny" Beaver 1945
The name "Benny" was used to describe Oregon State's mascot as early as 1945.

Ken Austin as "Benny Beaver" 1951
Ken Austin was the first student to appear at Oregon State athletic events dressed as "Benny Beaver." This was in September 1952. His outfit looked primitive by today's standards. Austin is a principal owner of A-dec, one of the world's largest manufacturers of dental equipment based in Newberg, Ore., and has been recognized as one of OSU's outstanding alumni of the 20th century. He graduated from OSU in engineering in 1953.

"Benny and Bernice"
c. early 1980s to mid-1990s
During this 15 or so year period, Benny was joined at most athletic events by "Bernice," a female beaver mascot, giving OSU the distinction of possibly having the only male and female mascots in NCAA history. During her reign, Bernice had a habit of wearing a wedding dress every Homecoming. Benny, of course, would always be in a tux.

"Angry" Beaver or "Angry Benny" Beaver 1999
Introduced in 1999, a new "angry Beaver" logo replaced the kinder, gentler "Benny" logo during the last week of January 2001.
"Benny Beaver" remains OSU's official athletic mascot, even though it has become customary for the new beaver likeness to be referred to by the campus community as the "angry Beaver."
For most alumni and friends of OSU, any likeness of a beaver representing OSU will still be known as "Benny," as will the life-sized beaver that always seems to show up at all kinds of Oregon State athletic events. The word "angry" represents an attempt on the part of Beaver fans today to explain the difference in appearance between the new and old Beaver logos and is not an attempt to change the name of the school mascot.

The staff of the Black Cultural Center, from left: (kneeling) Contressa Henry, Robin Mimms, Ariana Meeks and (standing) Jakari Barbee, Michael Spencer, Melvin Young, Issa Kamara and Cedrick Berry

Twenty-six years ago this month, the Black Student Union Cultural Center opened on the OSU campus.

Original funding for the center was provided by the Associated Students of Oregon State University Senate, the OSU Alumni Association and community members. It is known today as the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, named in honor of the first director of the Education Opportunities Program on campus.

In honor of its 25th anniversary last year, the Black Cultural Center (BCC) was extensively remodeled with an enlarged kitchen, a big-screen TV room, computers, printer and a library of books on African-American topics.

Historical photographs line the walls of the living rooms, and announcements about upcoming cultural and educational events are posted.

Besides the secure, homelike atmosphere that students find welcoming, the BCC provides academic and career resources, cultural programs, and community outreach services. A student can choose to attend a retreat, be tutored in his or her most difficult subject, or join a support group for students of color.

A popular event is the annual Soul Food Day held on Mom's Weekend each spring. Students spend the day cooking food for their mothers and sharing the meal with them at MU East. This year the BCC garnered funds through off-campus sponsors to host a fall Homecoming dance in the MU Ballroom and invited the whole campus.

According to BCC activities director Jakari Barbee, "anything with food" is a good draw for student attendance. So at the annual Black Hair Day sponsored by the BCC for the local community, students make sure snacks are plentiful. During Black Hair Day, students entertain community children with crafts and food while professional hairdressers instruct guests, parents of adopted children and other interested persons, in the special art of caring for the hair of African American children.

A quick look at the diversity Web site published by the OSU Office of Multicultural Affairs (oregonstate.edu/groups/diversity) reveals the varied activities available to widen students' horizons. Events sponsored this past February by the BCC included a public forum on black women in film, a black health fair and a Siblings Weekend sleep over with movies and games. Bowling night, an African dance workshop and an evening of selected readings and poetry are some of the offerings available throughout the year.

The only thing that hampers enthusiasm for another program or event is finding ways to carve it out of the budget provided by the student funded MU Program Council.

Alumni and friends of the BCC are always welcome to drop by to visit or perhaps make a donation to the OSU Foundation for the Black Cultural Center.

From the open house and welcoming dinner for new students each fall - through finals week study marathons in June - the Black Cultural Center on Monroe Street is a unique place of shelter, encouragement and fun for students at OSU.

Note: Kelva Johnson, an ethnic studies junior from Portland, was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Portland's Skanner Newsgroup for her efforts to fulfill the ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. She was publications coordinator for the BCC and designer of the diversity Web site. Two other OSU juniors, Marco Antonia Chavez, a sociology major, and Jesse Jackson, a construction engineering management student, also received the scholarships for their work at OSU's cultural centers and the minority education office.

Howard B. Gelberg, associate dean for research and a professor of pathology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, has been named dean of OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Gelberg begins his new duties on July 1, succeeding Kelvin Koong, the interim dean, who will return to duties in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Gelberg has been a faculty member and administrator at the University of Illinois since 1980. For the past three years, he has been the associate dean for research of UI's College of Veterinary Medicine, simultaneously serving as assistant director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.

As dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at OSU, Gelberg will oversee a program that has 32 faculty, 144 doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) students and an annual budget of about $8 million.

Sarah Masoni analyzes food in a controlled environment chamber.

Oregon State's newest agricultural experiment station is providing a unique service for entrepreneurs who want to take their food products from idea to grocery shelf.

More than a clearinghouse for advice on how to navigate the complexities of food processing and trade, the Food Innovation Center truly is an experiment station where the laboratory is a microcosm of the consumer market.

"There's no place else like this in the country," said OSU food scientist John Henry Wells, newly appointed superintendent of OSU's 13th experiment station. The center is at 1207 N.W. Naito Parkway in north Portland.

Wells is doing double duty as both the superintendent and the program leader in packaging and logistics research at the 33,160-square foot building of glass, chrome and steel. More than 10 years in the planning, the $9.4 million Food Innovation Center is the result of a partnership between OSU and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

The center melds the ODA's expertise in marketing and export review with OSU's research programs in food packaging, consumer sensory science, agricultural marketing and trade economics. Together, the two organizations provide six programs in a concentrated area. The center's primary interaction is with food processors and producers and international trade delegates interested in Oregon products, such as wheatberry caviar, smoked salmon, and chocolate-covered cherries and blueberries.

To serve both the manufacturers of such products and their prospective buyers, OSU oversees an ever-evolving slate of programs that helps food processors overcome barriers to technical development, production, distribution or marketing.

For example, product testing done at the FIC identifies problems that might derail a product's market potential well before the product is released for sale. Tasters and product testers sit behind a room of one-way mirrors to access the taste, smell, "mouth feel" and other intangibles that can make or break a product in the marketplace.

Highly regarded African American author Toi Derricotte met with faculty and students at Moreland Hall before giving a poetry reading at the Corvallis Arts Center. The reading, the second in this year's OSU Visiting Writers Series, was sponsored by the OSU department of English, the Provost's Office and The Valley Library. Derricotte has published four books of poetry, and her memoir, The Black Notebooks, was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of 1998.

The Big Kiss-off Although this year's attempt to break a record for the "most kissers in the quad" was unsuccessful, the opportunity to participate was obviously appreciated by student/spouses Kirk and Kiley Hoppe.