Cascades campus $1 million closer

Published 5:00 am Thursday, September 27, 2012

Oregon State University-Cascades Campus officials on Wednesday announced the campus received a $1 million donation toward its expansion into a four-year school in Bend.

The donation — the largest for the school’s fundraising effort — comes from the Tykeson Family Charitable Trust, a Eugene-based organization that supports higher education, health care and the arts.

The money will go toward purchasing, renovating or building facilities that will make the expansion a reality.

With the Tykeson donation, OSU-Cascades has raised $2.8 million toward its goal of at least $4 million in private funds. That leaves at least $1.2 million left for the school to raise by December 2013 to reach the minimum needed in private donations.

“At some point down the road, we’ll invite you all to, I’m sure, a very special space on the new campus that will be named in honor of the Tykesons,” OSU President Ed Ray said at a news conference in Bend’s Old Mill District.

Donald Tykeson, of Eugene, acquired BendBroadband in 1983; his daughter Amy Tykeson, of Bend, is president and chief executive officer of the company and a trustee of the family foundation.

“We could not be more pleased to be able to make a lead gift to help transform OSU Cascades into a four-year institution to further elevate the quality of choice and study available in Central Oregon,” Donald Tykeson said.

Amy Tykeson said, “I know that a four-year university has been at the top of the list for Central Oregon for many years. Not only will OSU-Cascades make a difference for students, it will support our employers and provide even more appeal to our beautiful region.”

OSU-Cascades already offers upper-division courses. Students attend Central Oregon Community College for the first two years of school. The university, which has almost 1,000 students, aims to have its first freshman class in 2015. By 2025, an enrollment of 3,000-5,000 students in Bend is anticipated.

The total funding needed for the expansion is about $24 million.

To reach that goal, OSU-Cascades needs at least $4 million in donations and for the Legislature to approve $16 million in state bonds. OSU funding should cover the remaining $4 million.

The first part of fundraising is finished and it garnered $1.8 million to show initial community support.

Ray said the second phase started Wednesday with the $1 million donation.

Going beyond the $4 million goal would aid the effort and help with efforts in Salem, university officials said.

“It’s momentum,” Ray said. “We’re going to make a case that we need the state to step up, that the community is on board with providing its resources and energy and talent to make this happen, and the more powerful statement we can make along those lines, the more likely we are to persuade legislators who have to make tough choices all the time that this is a good investment.”

The school has not designated a campus location where the expansion would unfold, said Becky Johnson, OSU-Cascades vice president. Because all the necessary funding isn’t secured yet, the university isn’t in a position to negotiate for real estate, she said.

In the meantime, a committee of real estate experts is advising the university and developing an analysis of the square footage needed for a comparison to available locations, Johnson said.

The university already has a presence at the Millpoint subdivision, where its graduate research center is located. But officials haven’t reached a deal with property owners there.

The ideal goal would be to find existing buildings near that location within walking distance, she said, adding that the school needs to be flexible.

The university also announced a newly formed campaign cabinet of community leaders to assist with fundraising.

Its members are former Bend mayors Allan Bruckner and Oran Teater, Ann Bruckner, Janie Teater, Gary Fish, Mike and Sue Hollern, Mark and Kathy Kralj, Patti and Greg Moss, Bob and Clella Thomas, Amy Tykeson and John Teller.