Campus News
MU roof makeover
For the first time in its 77-year history, the Memorial Union is getting a completely new roof.
In 1980 a second roof was installed, but the first was not completely removed. At that time a white membrane was added to prevent leaking. The membrane’s 15-year life expectancy was up many years ago.
The dome tiles will be replaced for the first time since the MU was built. The dome has been leaking, as apparent from visible leakage stains inside the rotunda, and efforts to seal the tiles have failed. The new tiles should last for 75 years or longer, and the new roof should last for about 30 years.
A highlight of the MU roof project will be the fabrication and installation of a new carillon tower and speakers. The MU bells, which play the alma mater and fight song every day at 5 p.m., will be out of commission until about mid-September. |
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This will be the first time that the bells have gone silent since they were dedicated at the 1959 homecoming. The bells came about through the combined efforts of students and alumni and were dedicated to the Oregon State servicemen who died in the Korean War and World War II.
The MU roof project was estimated at $1.4 million, and is funded by Oregon University System state funds and MU reserve funds.
Fluid images of OSU
When OSU wanted to develop a commercial that elicited pride and illustrated its most outstanding areas of teaching and research, it turned to the alumnus-owned company, Fluid Images in Sisters. Bob Johnson, ’62, owner of the film company that owns the patent on a crane system that has been used in such major motion pictures as Titanic and The Aviator, brought his crew to OSU to visually piece together a 30-second spot.
What has resulted is a series of five scenes filmed in some of OSU’s most amazing locations, ranging from campus to Hatfield Marine Science Center to the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. The sweeping technique of the crane and camera system showcase OSU’s excellence in forestry, tsunami discovery, marine mammals, and health and physical performance. The culminating closing spot is the icon for the OSU experience — Weatherford Hall.
“Because of Bob Johnson’s love of his alma mater and ongoing engagement with OSU, we have a spot that has created excitement. Fluid Images saw visually the greatness in the stories we wanted to showcase and created a package that is astounding,” said Luanne Lawrence, vice president of University Advancement.
To preview the commercial, visit OSU’s home page and click on the image of Weatherford Hall.
Randhawa named provost, executive vice president
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| Sabah Randhawa |
Sabah Randhawa, who has been interim provost and executive vice president at OSU on two separate occasions, has been named to the full post at the conclusion of a national search.
The provost and executive vice president serves as the chief academic officer for the university, stands in for the president and is responsible for the continuing development and implementation for the strategic plan.
As provost, Randhawa will oversee OSU’s 11 academic colleges, the Graduate School, the OSU Extension Service, the University Honors College and OSU Extended Campus.
Before taking on the interim provost and executive vice president position, Randhawa served as vice provost for academic affairs. He has been a faculty member at OSU for more than 20 years — much of it in the College of Engineering, where he headed the department of industrial and manufacturing engineering from 1993 to 1999. Randhawa was associate dean of engineering for two years before being named vice provost.
Randhawa is a 1976 chemical engineering graduate of the University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan. He also has a master’s degree from OSU, and a doctorate from Arizona State University — both in industrial engineering.
Growth surges in distance education
The number of students taking courses through OSU Extended Campus, OSU’s award-winning distance education program, has almost tripled in the past five years — along with a surge in course offerings, new degrees and students from all over the world.
Although most students in OSU distance programs are still from Oregon, OSU Extended Campus last year had students from every state in the nation and 14 other countries.
The OSU programs have advising, on-line tutoring, library services and other special services. Twice in the past five years, an OSU Extended Campus student was named the top distance education student in the nation.
One rancher from New Mexico used OSU Extended Campus to become the first person in his family to get a college degree, and he brought 17 family members to Oregon to attend his graduation ceremony.
Last spring the program served 2,165 students, compared to about 800 five years earlier. Just last year, 71 new courses were offered, via the web, video, interactive television and on-site. There are courses in 45 fields of study, everything from art to philosophy, nuclear engineering, biology and forestry.
OSU offers four bachelor’s degrees, five minors and 10 graduate degrees or programs through distance education, and off-site courses take the university to students throughout Oregon. OSU Extended Campus, through OSU K12 Online, also has created an innovative inventory of high school credit courses, plus advanced placement and college courses for high school students. Within a few years, it plans to offer an accredited Oregon high school diploma.
Record research funding fuels Oregon’s economy
Oregon State faculty, working in all corners of the state and beyond, attracted a record $208.9 million in externally funded research during the 2004-05 fiscal year that ended July 1.
OSU’s research positively affects nearly every segment of the Oregon economy — as well as every county in the state. The previous record of $177 million was set last year.
“For a university this size, without a medical school, $208 million is a phenomenal figure,” said OSU President Ed Ray. “It speaks to the productivity and talent of the faculty, and their ability to compete nationally to undertake research that addresses the needs of Oregonians and the nation.”
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Enhancing the livability of rural communities is one focus of OSU faculty research. |
It is difficult to pinpoint the specific impact higher education research has on the economy. In addition to the local economic multiplier effect — the number of times a dollar is spent and re-spent in the local community — research has a greater impact on the state economy than many other investments because of the new technologies and jobs that spin off from faculty productivity.
Because of its broad spectrum of programs, OSU research cuts across nearly every Oregon economic sector, contributing to agriculture, forestry, high tech, health care and other industries. In addition to creating new economic opportunities, the university’s research often helps prevent costly problems. OSU researchers, for example, recently developed a new strain of filbert tree that is resistant to eastern filbert blight, which threatened to devastate the state’s $30 million industry.
Multiplier effects on the economy, estimated by universities around the country, range from doubling every dollar invested to as high as 10 times per dollar.
“If you put the true impact somewhere in the middle, Oregon State University’s research enterprise would have had an impact of $1 billion on the Oregon economy last year,” said John M. Cassady, OSU’s vice president for research.
The social impact of OSU’s research also is significant, according to the university’s provost, Sabah Randhawa.
The university has numerous faculty conducting research to boost K-12 and community college education, improve disease prevention, enhance the livability of rural communities, understand and protect the environment, and help Oregon prepare for a population that is aging and becoming more ethnically and culturally diverse, he pointed out.
Of the record research funding, the largest slice, $134.4 million, came from federal agencies. Private foundations also are playing a more important role in OSU research funding, and grants.
Historically, OSU has generated more research income than all of the rest of the Oregon University System institutions combined.
